Rhino: Agencies – The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said on Wednesday that good progress is being made in the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip, but a permanent ceasefire in the 11-month war is necessary to alleviate human suffering.
UNRWA said that three days after the campaign began in areas of central Gaza, some 187,000 children had received the vaccine. The campaign will move to other areas of the Gaza Strip in a second phase.
The campaign came after an infant was diagnosed with polio last month, the first case in Gaza in 25 years. Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) agreed to an eight-hour daily truce in predetermined areas to allow the vaccination campaign to proceed. No violations were reported.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said via Xbox on Wednesday, ‘Great progress! Every day in central Gaza areas more children are getting polio vaccinations,’ UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said via Xbox on Wednesday.
Palestinians say the main reason behind the return of polio is the collapse of the health system and the destruction of most of Gaza’s hospitals. Israel accuses Hamas of using hospitals for military purposes, which the group denies.
