Millions of children in Syria and region to be vaccinated against polio, measles, mumps and rubella

As Syria awaits confirmation of suspected polio cases in the east of the country, UNICEF has joined the World Health Organisation and other partners in mounting a large-scale immunisation effort aimed at protecting as many children as possible both in the country and across the region against polio, as well as other vaccine-preventable diseases. Inside Syria, a campaign led by the Ministry of Health began on 24th October targeting 2.4 million children with vaccines against polio, measles, mumps and rubella. Around 500,000 children in Syria have not been vaccinated against polio in the past two years due to insecurity and access constraints. Prior to the conflict, immunisation coverage in Syria was about 95 per cent. The conflict in Syria has caused immense displacement, with millions of children on the move, either inside the country or across borders into neighbouring countries and beyond. “The on-going conflict in Syria has affected more than 3 million children,...