Selangor Journal
The mother of Palestinian boy Abdul Rahman Abu Al-Jidyan, who was the first person to contract polio in Gaza in 25 years, looks after him in their tent in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Palestine, on August 28, 2024. — Picture by REUTERS

Gaza polio vax campaign to begin Sunday

GAZA CITY, Aug 30 — Palestine Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan announced today that a polio vaccination campaign for children under the age of 10 will begin in Gaza on Sunday.

Anadolu Agency reported that a statement issued by Ramadan said the campaign will start in the Deir al-Balah district of central Gaza until September 4.

It will then move to Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip from September 5 to 9, before concluding in Gaza City and the northern part of the enclave from September 9 to 12.

The minister emphasised that vaccination equipment will be transported between areas as per schedule, and assured that the vaccines are completely safe.

He urged Gaza residents to vaccinate their children and ignore any misinformation spread by the Israeli occupation forces.

The ministry has released maps and sent text messages to inform Gaza residents about vaccination sites and schedules, it reported.

Yesterday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced an initial commitment to humanitarian ceasefires in specific areas during the vaccination campaign.

Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, stressed the need to achieve 90 per cent vaccination coverage to prevent disease spread. He highlighted that the campaign will be conducted in two phases, but no specific dates were provided.

The agreement with the Israeli military’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories includes a three-day ceasefire in central Gaza, followed by similar ceasefires in the southern and northern regions.

On August 16, United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres called for a seven-day humanitarian truce to carry out the vaccination campaign for 640,000 children, a call supported by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

This call followed the Palestine Health Ministry’s report of Gaza’s first confirmed polio case in a 10-month-old infant.

— Bernama

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