“Six people, including four children, were injured” after a polio vaccination center was “hit” on Saturday in the northern Gaza Strip, announced the head of the World Health Organization.
The Israeli army denied firing.
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The head of the World Health Organization announced on Saturday that “six people, including four children, were injured” after a polio vaccination center was “touch” in the north of the Gaza Strip. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus did not specify the exact nature of “the attack”nor who was at the origin. “The primary health care center in Sheikh Radouane, northern Gaza, was hit today as parents brought their children for polio vaccination, in an area where a humanitarian pause had been agreed to allow the continuation of vaccination”he wrote on wall of the health center, located west of Gaza City.
Contacted by AFP, the Israeli army denied having fired on the vaccination center. “An initial review (of the accusations) determined that the army did not carry out a strike on this area at the time indicated”she said in a press release, stressing that she had participated in the coordination of the vaccination campaign.
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This campaign resumed this Saturday in the north of the Gaza Strip, currently the scene of intense Israeli military operations. The WHO and the UN children's agency (UNICEF) were assured that the areas dedicated to vaccination, where parents can bring their children to receive the second dose of the oral vaccine, were protected. According to the WHO, some 119,000 children in the north are waiting for their second dose of vaccine to protect them from this disease which can leave serious after-effects. The WHO launched a vaccination campaign in Gaza on September 1, after the confirmation of the first case of polio in 25 years in the Palestinian territory besieged by Israel. This is the only case detected for the moment, but the dangerousness of the disease has prompted action quickly.
Dr Tedros ruled that “this attack, during a humanitarian pause, jeopardizes the sanctity of child health protection and may deter parents from bringing their children for vaccination”. “These vital humanitarian pauses must be absolutely respected. Ceasefire!”he said.
Minute by minute
Health authorities estimate that 90% of children need to be vaccinated to prevent the disease from spreading. A first series of vaccinations was successfully completed at the beginning of September. More than 560,000 children under 10 received a first dose during the first vaccination cycle. Dr Tedros then greeted a “massive success”.
The second part of the vaccination campaign – essential for boosting immunity – began as planned on October 14, first in central Gaza and then in the south. But the WHO indicated last week that it had been forced to postpone the final phase in the north due to the fighting. It finally restarted on Saturday. According to the organization, 452,000 children have already been vaccinated in the center and south of the Gaza Strip.
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