New York, United States - August 29, 2024

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday that the United Nations (U.N.) will begin a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza starting Sept. 1, following an agreement between Israel and Hamas to implement a temporary ceasefire for the vaccination effort.

The announcement was made during a press conference at the UN headquarters in New York, where the WHO's representative for the occupied Palestinian Territory, Rik Peeperkorn, confirmed via video link that the vaccination campaign will begin on Sept. 1.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted in a recent address the spread of polio in Gaza, which poses a serious risk to children. The UN is set to launch a two-phase campaign to vaccinate more than 640,000 children in Gaza under the age of 10, with the WHO having approved the release of 1.6 million doses of polio vaccine.

Poliomyelitis, commonly known as polio, is an acute infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, primarily affecting children under five. It can lead to paralysis or death in severe cases. With no cure available, vaccination remains the most effective and economical method of prevention.

Poliovirus was detected in environmental samples in the Gaza Strip in July. On Monday, health authorities in the Gaza Strip announced on Monday that a polio epidemic had broken out across the Palestinian enclave, blaming Israeli military operations for the damage to sanitation and medical systems that had precipitated the spread of the deadly virus.

Shotlist:
New York, NY, USA - Aug 29, 2024:
FILE: U.N. Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown
1. U.N. headquarters, buildings, East River;
2. U.N. flag;
3. U.N. logo;
U.N. Headquarters, New York City - Aug 29, 2024
4. Press conference in progress;
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Rik Peeperkorn, representative for occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt), World Health Organization (WHO):
"So, it has been agreed that the campaign will be delivered in a phased approach over three days (per phase). We start on the first of September and we start in central Gaza for three days, followed by south Gaza and then followed by the north of Gaza.";
Gaza Strip - Aug 28, 2024
6. Various of tents, children;
U.N. Headquarters, New York City - Aug 29, 2024
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Rik Peeperkorn, representative for occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt), World Health Organization (WHO):
"Yeah. There's been an agreement that there will not be evacuation orders during those campaign days.";
FILE: U.N. Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown
8. U.N. logo;
FILE: U.N. Headquarters, New York City - July 24, 2024
9. U.N. flag;
10. United Nations (U.N.) headquarters, national flags.

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