WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - World Health Organization has announced the successful completion of the first phase of its polio vaccination campaign in Gaza.
More than 187000 children under ten years of age were vaccinated with novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in central Gaza during the first phase of a two-round polio vaccination campaign in the war-stricken Palestinian enclave.
WHO said vaccination coverage in this phase exceeded the estimated target due to population movement towards central Gaza, and expanded coverage in areas outside the humanitarian pause zone.
To ensure no child is missed in this area, polio vaccination will continue at four large health facilities in central Gaza over the next few days.
'It has been extremely encouraging to see thousands of children being able to access polio vaccines, with the support of their resilient families and courageous health workers, despite the deplorable conditions they have braved over the last 11 months,' said Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory. He noted that all parties to the war in Gaza respected the humanitarian pause.
The next phase of the campaign will be conducted in southern Gaza from September 5 to 8, targeting an estimated 340000 children below ten years of age.
The third and last phase of the polio vaccination campaign will be implemented in northern Gaza during September 9-11, targeting around 150000 children.
The UN health agency's campaign is part of an urgent response to prevent the spread of polio after its reemergence recently. Circulating variant poliovirus type 2 was detected in Gaza after a gap of 25 years.
Gaza has reported four cases of children with acute flaccid paralysis, including one case of confirmed polio in a child who tested positive for poliovirus type 2.
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