Polio vaccination programme ‘imperative’ in Gaza: UNICEF
Saleem Oweis, UNICEF spokesman for the Middle East and North Africa, said he hopes that the pauses in fighting to deliver the polio vaccination programme in Gaza will be “sufficient” to cover the “over 600,000 children that need to be vaccinated”.
“Polio is a highly contagious disease. The outcome is really grim – it is either paralysis or death. In these contexts, in Gaza, crowded as it is, with all the lack of basic health systems and hygiene supplies and water and all as such, it’s going to prove to be catastrophic,” Oweis told Al Jazeera.
He added that it was “imperative” to have the vaccination programme now because there is “no other option than vaccinations”.
“Polio can’t be treated, but it can be prevented and that ‘s where we need to put all the effort now and that’s what we’re trying to do and that’s why we really need this pause commitment to take place.”
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