Gazan children receive 600,000 vaccines but children’s agency warns more is needed
UNICEF, the United Nation’s children’s agency, said today it has delivered more than 600,000 vaccines doses to the Gaza Strip since the current war broke out in October, but has stressed that more is needed.
Almost 17,000 children have missed routine vaccinations in Gaza since Oct. 7, the agency said, “leaving their immunity compromised at a time of significant vulnerability.”
About 1.9 million people have been internally displaced within Gaza, according to the U.N., with severely limited access to fresh water, food and medical supplies. Before the war, child vaccination rates in Gaza had reached 99%.
“The conflict disrupted routine vaccinations and disease surveillance systems in recent weeks, increasing the risk of outbreaks of deadly but preventable diseases, such as measles and polio,” UNICEF said.
