WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus shared the update on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the vaccination campaign concluded on Wednesday, with over 148,000 children also receiving vitamin A supplements during the same period.

"Eight health facilities in the area will remain open to provide polio vaccines for families who were unable to bring their children in for vaccination in the past three days," Tedros said.

The WHO, in partnership with local health organizations, is now preparing for the second-dose vaccination campaign in southern Gaza, set to begin on Friday. Tedros emphasized the importance of maintaining humanitarian pauses to ensure that all children in the region can be vaccinated, urging for a ceasefire to protect civilians.

"We call for humanitarian pauses to remain respected, so all children can be protected. We call for a ceasefire and peace," he added, underscoring the need for continued access to health services in the war-torn region. (ILKHA)