Mass polio vaccination planned in Gaza after first suspected cases
Published: Friday, Aug 16th 2024, 14:20
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UN organizations are planning mass vaccinations against polio in the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks. At the end of August and in September, more than 640,000 children are to be protected against the virus, which can cause polio, in two rounds of vaccinations, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva.
The UN health authority reported that three children in the Gaza Strip were already suspected of having acute paralysis symptoms typical of polio. The virus was detected in sewage samples in the densely populated war zone in July.
The WHO and the UN Children's Fund, Unicef, called on the parties to the conflict - Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas - to stop fighting for seven days so that children and their families can be safely vaccinated in health centers. In addition, vaccination personnel must be allowed to reach children who cannot reach such centers. "Without the humanitarian pause in fighting, it will not be possible to carry out the campaign," it said.
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