BERLIN: A polio vaccination campaign in north Gaza has been postponed because of Israeli bombardments, mass displacement and lack of entry, the World Well being Group (WHO) mentioned on Wednesday (Oct 23).
This last part, because of start on Wednesday, aimed to vaccinate greater than 119,000 youngsters within the Palestinian enclave below siege for over a 12 months in response to militant group Hamas’ assaults on Israel.
“The present situations, together with ongoing assaults on civilian infrastructure, proceed to jeopardise individuals’s security and motion in northern Gaza, making it unattainable for households to securely carry their youngsters for vaccination, and well being employees to function,” the United Nations company mentioned in a press release, reiterating its name for a ceasefire.
The polio marketing campaign began on Sep 1 after the WHO confirmed in August {that a} child was partially paralysed by the type 2 polio virus, the primary such case within the territory in 25 years.
Delays in a second dose for youngsters might jeopardise efforts to halt transmission.
“This might additionally result in additional unfold of poliovirus within the Gaza Strip and neighbouring nations, with the chance of extra youngsters being paralysed,” the company mentioned.
On Tuesday, the UN Palestinian refugee company known as for a brief truce to permit departures from areas of north Gaza, the place it mentioned “individuals are simply ready to die” after three weeks of Israeli assaults.
