Geneva, Oct. 14, (dpa/GNA) – The second round of polio vaccinations is set to commence on Monday in the Gaza Strip, targeting approximately 590,000 children under the age of 10.
Israel and the organizers have agreed on area-specific humanitarian pauses in hostilities for this purpose.
The first round of the two-dose polio vaccinations in the sealed-off Palestinian territory took place in early September, after the first polio case in 25 years was detected there.
Israel’s year-long offensive against Hamas militants has laid waste to vast areas of Gaza and left much of the health infrastructure in ruins.
The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) says more than 90% of children need to be vaccinated to prevent an outbreak of polio, which can affect nerves in the spinal cord and brain stem.
The mass vaccination campaign is being conducted by local health authorities, the UN children’s organisation UNICEF, and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
GNA