New Delhi: The United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has once again called for a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza war citing the outbreak of Polio.“Very sad. @WHO confirms that a 10-month-old baby in #Gaza is now paralysed due to #Polio. The first case in more than 25 years. Polio will not make the distinction between Palestinian & Israeli children. Delaying a humanitarian pause will increase the risk of spread among children,” Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of United National Agency for Palestine Refugees posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday (August 23).Lazzarini added that every child in Gaza under the age of 10 years must be vaccinated to prevent further outbreak of the disease.Very sad. @WHO confirms that a 10-month-old baby in #Gaza is now paralysed due to #Polio. The first case in more than 25 years.Polio will not make the distinction between Palestinian & Israeli children.Delaying a humanitarian pause will increase the risk of spread among…— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) August 23, 2024“It is not enough to bring the vaccines into Gaza + protect the cold chain. To have an impact, the vaccines must end up in the mouths of every child under the age of 10. @UNRWA medical teams will deliver the vaccines in our clinics and through our mobile health teams,” said Lazzarini.“Since the war began and with thx to these efforts, 80% of children across Gaza have received vaccines against different childhood diseases. We will continue. #CeasefireNOW.”Gaza’s health ministry announced on Friday (August 17) that it had detected the coastal strip’s first case of polio in years, after a highly infectious vaccine-derived poliovirus Type-2 (VDPV2) was found in six sewage samples collected in late June from the Khan Younis and Deir al Balah camp areas.
