90% Polio Vaccination in Gaza: UNRWA's Campaign Amid Conflict

The UN Palestinian refugee agency announced that polio vaccination coverage in Gaza has reached 90%, with the next goal being a second dose for hundreds of thousands of children. Despite challenges due to ongoing conflict, the campaign successfully vaccinated 640,000 children, aiming to prevent further polio cases.

Polio vaccination coverage in Gaza has reached 90%, the head of the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency announced on Monday. The next step is ensuring that hundreds of thousands of children receive a second dose by the end of the month.

The campaign, which started on September 1, targeted around 640,000 children under 10 years old and faced significant challenges due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Last month, the World Health Organization confirmed the first type 2 polio virus case in Gaza in 25 years, leading to increased urgency. The campaign surmounted various obstacles like access restrictions and fuel shortages to vaccinate thousands of children, achieving a 90% coverage rate in its initial round.

(With inputs from agencies.)