WHO Vaccinates 1,61,000 Palestinian Children in Gaza Against Polio
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that 1,61,000 Palestinian children were vaccinated in two days as part of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, exceeding the estimated target of about 1,56,550 children.
Vaccination Campaign Details
Dr. Rick Peppercorn, WHO Representative in the Palestinian Territories, shared that preliminary data shows about 74,340 children were vaccinated on the second day, while more than 86,600 children were vaccinated on the first day. The remaining children in central Gaza are scheduled to be vaccinated by the end of the first round.
Multiple teams have been deployed to larger fixed sites, with some operating as mobile teams to ensure no child is missed. Additional vaccine shipments were sent to primary health care centers in Al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij due to high demand.
Health Risks and Support
Dr. Peppercorn noted the high risk of poliovirus type 2 infection in Gaza and internationally due to gaps in children’s immunity, disruptions in routine vaccination, and poor health conditions. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, directed the provision of USD 5 million to support the emergency vaccination campaign after the first case of the virus was recorded in Gaza.
The UAE launched the campaign to protect more than 6,40,000 children from polio, in cooperation with WHO, UNICEF, and UNRWA, aiming to vaccinate 90% of children in Gaza.
Doubts Revealed
WHO -: WHO stands for the World Health Organization. It is a part of the United Nations that works to improve health and fight diseases all over the world.
Polio -: Polio is a disease caused by a virus that can make people very sick and sometimes unable to move their muscles. Vaccines can help prevent it.
Gaza -: Gaza is a small area of land where many Palestinian people live. It is located near Israel and the Mediterranean Sea.
Dr. Rick Peppercorn -: Dr. Rick Peppercorn is a person who works for the WHO and helps take care of health issues in the Palestinian Territories.
Poliovirus type 2 -: Poliovirus type 2 is one type of the virus that causes polio. There are three types, and type 2 can be very dangerous if people are not vaccinated.
UAE -: UAE stands for the United Arab Emirates. It is a country in the Middle East that helped by giving money for the vaccination campaign.
USD 5 million -: USD 5 million means five million US dollars. It is a lot of money that the UAE gave to help vaccinate children in Gaza.
1,61,000 -: 1,61,000 is a way to write one hundred sixty-one thousand. It is the number of children who got vaccinated in Gaza.
1,56,550 -: 1,56,550 is a way to write one hundred fifty-six thousand five hundred fifty. It was the target number of children to be vaccinated.
6,40,000 -: 6,40,000 is a way to write six hundred forty thousand. It is the total number of children in Gaza that the campaign aims to protect.