Although the World Health Organization’s (WHO) polio vaccination campaign in war-torn Gaza officially starts on Sunday, the Palestinian Health Ministry released footage on Saturday showing some children already getting their first shot.
Footage from a press conference in the Gaza Strip, provided by the Hamas-controlled health authority, showed some children receiving their initial dose of the two-dose vaccination.
The ministry said preparations for the campaign have been completed, while the WHO spoke about an opening ceremony for the campaign. Recently a first case of polio was detected in Gaza and fears of a mass outbreak prompted the vaccination campaign.
A total of 640,000 children under the age of 10 are to be immunized. Four weeks must separate the two-dose regime. Almost 400 vaccination centres have been set up, the WHO said. In addition, almost 300 mobile teams are on the road, and some 2,200 volunteers have been trained to administer the vaccine.
To facilitate this, there is to be limited pauses in fighting in the Gaza Strip at specific times and locations. (DPA)