WHO believes it has reached polio vaccination target in Gaza

The first round of polio vaccinations in Gaza, aimed at preventing an outbreak in the war-torn territory and beyond, has likely reached its goal, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday. More than 552,000 children had already received a first dose as of Wednesday. They are due to receive their second dose in about four weeks, the agency said.

Following the discovery of the first case of polio in Gaza in twenty-five years, a large-scale campaign began on September 1, with “humanitarian breaks” in the fighting, targeting 640,000 children under the age of ten.

“We are convinced that we have probably achieved the set objective”said Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, at a press briefing. He expressed his satisfaction that parents had come out in large numbers to have their children vaccinated. “We are very grateful that the area-specific humanitarian pauses were respected during the campaign” by the belligerents, he stressed.