An-Najah News - UNICEF has warned that about 10 million children under the age of five and about 4.5 million children under the age of fifteen in the Middle East and North Africa region are at risk of not getting vaccinations because of corona

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement on Sunday: “Special vaccination campaigns in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa have stopped due to the shift of health workers to respond to the emerging Corona virus crisis.”

As a result, the organization explained that one out of every five children or up to ten million children under five years of age is at risk of not getting a vaccine against polio, and about 4.5 million children under the age of fifteen are at risk of not getting a vaccine against Measles.

But the organization confirmed that, despite the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, routine vaccination of children in the Middle East and North Africa continues, with strict health and preventive measures in place.

The statement also noted that, despite the challenges and restrictions on movement, border closures in most countries of the region, UNICEF has managed to bring 17.5 million doses of vaccines to the Middle East and North Africa, and that there are more shipments of vaccines and life-saving supplies it is currently under preparation.

The organization confirmed that it will continue to support the competent authorities and health workers to facilitate campaigns to vaccinate children throughout the region, purchase and ship vaccines in particular to countries that have closed their borders or suspended flights, and monitor the stock of vaccines located within countries to avoid expiration, especially in countries that vaccination campaigns were suspended.