Published September 03,2024
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The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday mentioned 161,000 youngsters in Gaza acquired polio vaccination over two days, surpassing the company’s goal of 156,500 youngsters.
Citing preliminary knowledge, spokesperson Richard Peeperkorn informed a UN press briefing in Geneva that about 74,340 youngsters have been vaccinated on day two of the vaccination marketing campaign, along with day one’s over 86,600.
Peeperkorn mentioned that day three of the marketing campaign is ongoing and the vast majority of remaining youngsters in central Gaza needs to be vaccinated by the top of spherical one.
He mentioned coordinated missions are ongoing in areas in central Gaza which are outdoors the agreed pauses to make sure no youngster is missed, because the zones designated for the marketing campaign don’t embrace the whole enclave.
“Special teams are ensuring no child is missed. At Al Maghazi, Al Bureij, Al Mussader, the vaccination teams encountered larger-than-expected populations,” he mentioned, including: “Yesterday, two additional vaccine dispatches were made to Al Maghazi and Al Bureij primary health centers due to higher demand.”
He mentioned Gaza had a excessive degree of vaccination protection throughout the inhabitants earlier than Oct. 7; nonetheless, because of the impression of the battle, routine immunization protection for the second dose of inactivated polio vaccine dropped from 99% in 2022 to lower than 90% within the first quarter of 2024, “increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases to children, including polio.”  
“WHO considers there to be a high risk of variant poliovirus type 2 within Gaza, and internationally, given gaps in children’s immunity due to disruptions in routine vaccination, a new birth cohort, decimation of the health system, constant population displacement, malnutrition and severely damaged water and sanitation systems,” he mentioned.
The spokesperson additionally confirmed that the marketing campaign is progressing effectively, with no vital safety points reported to date.
“Until now, things are going well. Again, this is only the third day. So, these area-specific humanitarian policies, until now, work. We, of course, expect that this will continue and that all parties will contribute to this and to make sure that we can continue,” Peeperkorn mentioned, reminding that the marketing campaign nonetheless has 10 days to go a minimum of.
Following the completion of the primary doses, the second doses will likely be administered after 4 weeks.
He voiced hope that the vaccination marketing campaign’s success might probably result in improved humanitarian cooperation on different points.
The urgency of the marketing campaign was underscored by the affirmation of Gaza’s first polio case in 25 years in a 10-month-old youngster final month.
The polio vaccination marketing campaign is happening in opposition to the backdrop of Israel’s continued army assaults in Gaza, which have resulted in over 40,700 Palestinian deaths because the Hamas incursion final October.
Source: www.anews.com.tr