Skip to main content

UAE contributes $5 million to Global Polio Eradication Initiative to vaccinate 640,000 children in Gaza

 



The UAE President, HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, has directed funding for the delivery of a critical polio vaccination drive in the Gaza Strip after the re-emergence of the virus in the territory. The campaign is set to be supported by a pledge of $5 million.
The 2-round polio eradication campaign is the need of the hour in the besieged enclave. It is said that at least 90% vaccination coverage is required during each round to prevent the spread of polio, given the displacement, almost inundated camps and lack of sanitation.
The initiative is set to offer more than 640,000 children under the age of 10 a couple of doses of the polio vaccine, in an effort to stop the proliferation of the virus and prevent a broader regional outbreak, as per media reports.
The vaccination drive starts on September 1 – beginning in Central Gaza and then moving to South and then North Gaza. Each phase is expected to continue for three days during area-specific humanitarian pauses, to enable families to access health facilities.
Some 1.26 million doses of the polio vaccine have already been delivered to the Gaza Strip in preparation for distribution – and another 400,000 doses are due to arrive soon. Thousands of health personnel are getting ready to support the delivery of both rounds of the drive.
Planning for the vaccination campaign began after the detection of the poliovirus in the enclave in July 2024. Experts confirmed this month that at least one child there has been paralysed by the variant type 2 poliovirus, the first such case in the territory in 25 years.
Under the direction of HH Sheikh Mohamed, the UAE has been at the forefront of humanitarian operations in Gaza. The Gulf state has established six desalination plans in Rafah, Egypt. They have a capacity of 1.6 million gallons per day.
Besides delivering more than 40,000 tonnes of urgent supplies, the UAE has also established a field hospital in southern Gaza, and a floating hospital in Egypt. Scores of Palestinian children and cancer patients are also being treated in Emirati hospitals.
The brutal Israel-Hamas fighting erupted on October 7 as Hamas militants launched an attack on Israeli cities, killing some 1,200 people and taking several others hostages. Israel’s retaliatory strikes on Gaza, on the other hand, have already claimed over 40,600 lives.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sky Care: How the UAE’s First Hospital Vertiport is Redefining Emergency Response

  Imagine a critical patient, a time-sensitive organ for transplant, or a specialist medical team needed across a bustling city. On the ground, traffic is a formidable adversary, where every minute lost can alter outcomes. Now, imagine that same journey taking minutes instead of an hour, not by navigating the roads, but by soaring gracefully above them. This is not a scene from a sci-fi film; it is the new reality in the United Arab Emirates. In a landmark move that solidifies its position on the global stage of innovation, the UAE has officially launched the nation’s — and the region’s — first hospital-based vertiport at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi. This isn’t just a helipad with a new name. It is the cornerstone of a fully integrated, city-wide advanced air mobility (AAM) ecosystem, marking a profound convergence of cutting-edge aviation, AI-driven healthcare, and sustainable infrastructure. The Launch of a Lifesaving Corridor The project is a powerful collaboration between aviati...
Post a Comment
Read more

Three Houses, One Vision – How the UAE’s Abrahamic Family House is Redefining Inter-Faith Dialogue

  When you step onto the stone-plinth of the Abrahamic Family House on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, you are not just visiting a building. You are entering a bold statement: a mosque, a church and a synagogue standing side-by-side, equal in size and purpose, sharing common ground while respecting their separate faiths. A landmark of coexistence In early 2023 the UAE inaugurated this pioneering complex, inviting worshippers and visitors alike. The architecture — designed to give each of the three faith-homes the same external dimensions and to signal equality — allows each to express its own traditions while remaining visibly part of a unified vision. More than 200 nationalities live in the UAE, which means the project reflects a multicultural reality in which multiple faiths and identities coexist daily. Islam’s role in the vision For Muslim-majority audiences in the Gulf, the Abrahamic Family House sends a resonant message: Islam does not fear dialogue — it embraces it. The m...
Post a Comment
Read more

Beyond the Handshake: How the EU-UAE Partnership is Forging a New Model for 21st-Century Trade

  We are witnessing a pivotal moment in international relations, not in the halls of Washington or Beijing, but in the vibrant heart of Dubai. The ongoing negotiations between the European Union and the United Arab Emirates for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and a parallel Strategic Partnership Agreement represent far more than a simple trade deal. This is a conscious, data-backed effort to build a deep and strategic partnership designed to thrive amid global economic uncertainty. The Foundation: A Trade Relationship Already in High Gear Before the first negotiation even began, the economic ties were already formidable. In 2024, trade in goods between the EU and UAE reached a staggering €55.6 billion, solidifying the UAE’s position as the EU’s second-largest trading partner in the Gulf region. The services sector adds another robust layer, with trade exceeding €39 billion in 2023. The growth trajectory is equally impressive; EU exports to the UAE saw a 15% surge in a si...
Post a Comment
Read more