161,000 children under 10 received first dose of vaccine in first two days of Gaza polio campaign. Gaza: Over 160,000 children receive first dose of polio vaccine Peace and Security
The polio vaccination campaign continued in central Gaza on Tuesday thanks to humanitarian pauses. According to preliminary data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 74,340 children were vaccinated on Monday.
Almost 87,000 children were vaccinated on the first day of the campaign on Sunday. Thus, 161 thousand children under the age of ten received the first dose of vaccine in the first two days, which is more than the target of 156,500 children.
Humanitarian pauses
Some 2,180 health and community workers have been trained in vaccination and outreach in preparation for the campaign, which is being carried out at 392 fixed sites and through nearly 300 mobile teams, said Richard Pieperkorn, WHO Representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Pieperkorn welcomed the humanitarian pauses in specific areas during the vaccination efforts and called on all parties to respect the suspension of hostilities to allow children to safely access health facilities and to allow workers to reach families who for whatever reason do not come to vaccination centres themselves.
WHO estimates that an additional fourth day will be needed to complete the campaign in the central zone, after which efforts should move to the south of the enclave for three to four days, and then to the north.
Large-scale efforts
WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the Gaza health authorities and other partners are involved in the large-scale effort to prepare for and implement the campaign.
In total, more than 640,000 children under the age of 10 across the Gaza Strip are scheduled to receive two doses of the vaccine. The second round of vaccinations will take place in four weeks.
UNRWA noted that due to military action and evacuation orders, people in Gaza are finding themselves in increasingly confined spaces. With families crammed into overcrowded shelters and tents, these inhumane living conditions are conducive to the spread of disease, UNRWA stressed.
Killing of hostages
Meanwhile, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said it was “horrified” by reports that Palestinian armed groups executed six Israeli hostages. UN human rights activists stress that these actions constitute a war crime.
Human Rights High Commissioner Volker Türk called for an independent, impartial and transparent investigation and for those responsible to be held accountable.
Read also: