Gaza – Ma’an – The Palestinian Red Crescent Society continued its efforts on Tuesday to implement the second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The campaign included vaccinating hundreds of children in several Red Crescent health centers, including Deir al-Balah, al-Bassa, al-Sawariha, al-Zawaida, and al-Nuseirat clinics, with the aim of protecting children from the risk of polio infection, as part of ongoing efforts to promote public health and prevent diseases in Gaza.

Due to the increased risks, shelling and difficulty of movement, the Palestine Red Crescent Society decided to reach the displaced people in their locations to provide polio and vitamin A vaccines. Mobile teams were sent to several shelters and camps for the displaced to ensure that health services reach all targeted children.

In the same context, a delegation from the World Health Organization, headed by Mr. Rick Peeperkorn, the organization’s representative in the Palestinian territories, accompanied by Dr. Fath A
l-Rahman, the organization’s expert in the field of polio, visited the Red Crescent Center in Deir Al-Balah to inspect the atmosphere during the vaccination campaign. They were received by the Director of Primary Care, Dr. Mohammed Abu Rahma, the Director of the Branch, Dr. Bashar Murad, in addition to Dr. Rami Abu Hamad, the medical director of the clinic.

‘We are closely following the vaccination campaign targeting 951,000 children across the Gaza Strip. In this first phase, the campaign is focusing on the central region and is targeting 179,714 children. Yesterday’s campaign was very promising, achieving high coverage and we were able to vaccinate 50% of the targeted children, which is a positive indicator that reflects the success and great engagement from the community,’ said Dr. Fath Al Rahman, WHO polio expert, during the visit.

The WHO representative praised the excellent organization in the three PRCS sites he visited, stressing that the campaign is proceeding with discipline and precision. He said
: ‘All teams are working in a very organized manner, and all the targeted people are receiving their vaccinations easily and smoothly. This level of coordination reflects great efforts that deserve appreciation.’ He added: ‘We are grateful for these great efforts and look forward to continuing fruitful cooperation to achieve the campaign’s goals in protecting the children of Gaza.’

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society confirmed that its efforts will continue until the polio vaccination campaign is completed, to ensure that vaccines reach all targeted children in the Strip. The campaign, which will continue over the coming days, aims to achieve comprehensive coverage that contributes to protecting Gaza’s children from the dangers of this disease.

Source: Maan News Agency