UNICEF to deliver 1.2 million doses of polio vaccine to Gaza. UN aid agencies deliver polio vaccines to Gaza Humanitarian aid
A shipment of polio vaccines has been delivered to Gaza, UN humanitarian agencies report. The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), together with the World Health Organization and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), is coordinating efforts with partners to protect the population from the dangerous disease.
According to a statement by UNRWA on Platform X, humanitarian workers are ready to begin a campaign to vaccinate 640,000 children, but a humanitarian pause in hostilities is needed for its successful implementation.
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“UNRWA is working with UNICEF and WHO on the polio campaign in Gaza. Our medical teams will provide vaccines to children under 10 years of age,” said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.
Food shortages
Meanwhile, evacuation orders are disrupting food distribution centres and community kitchens, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warns. WFP has been forced to scale back aid in Gaza over the past two months, receiving only about half of the supplies it needed in July and a similar situation in August.
WFP officials also warn about the state of Gaza’s roads. Damage and debris make it difficult for drivers to navigate aid trucks even in dry weather. Rain and flooding are expected in two months, leaving most roads in disrepair.
Aid workers also face daily delays and refusals when requesting permits to move around the enclave. Looting and other public disorder are also common.
The WFP added that given the high food prices caused by the war, it is testing a cash assistance programme in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. It will allow people to buy essential goods while supporting the local economy.