A polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza has been postponed due to ongoing Israeli bombardment, massive population displacement and lack of access, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, as quoted by "Reuters". The campaign, which was supposed to start this Wednesday, aimed to vaccinate more than 119,000 children in the Palestinian enclave, News.bg quoted.
According to the WHO, the current situation threatens people's safety and makes it impossible for families to bring their children for vaccination. The agency called for an immediate ceasefire to allow the campaign to take place.
The campaign began on September 1 after a registered case of partial paralysis in an infant caused by the poliomyelitis virus type 2 — the first such case in the region in 25 years. Delaying the second dose could jeopardize efforts to stop transmission of the virus and lead to further spread in Gaza and neighboring countries.
The UN has called for a temporary ceasefire to allow evacuations from affected areas where people have been trapped by three weeks of Israeli attacks.