Gaza baby paralysed after contracting polio, UN says

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

A 10-month-old baby in Gaza has become paralysed after contracting polio, the UN said, in the first case of the disease in 25 years across occupied Palestine.

Sewage samples containing poliovirus were detected in the enclave last month and parents of two other children are awaiting the results of tests for suspected infection.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), provided an update on the baby's case on Friday and called for a humanitarian pause in the Gaza war to allow 640,000 children in Gaza to be vaccinated for polio, which can cause lifelong health problems.

"Polio will not make the distinction between Palestinian and Israeli children," he said in a post on X.

The vaccination campaign in Gaza is planned to take place over two rounds and is set to begin next week.

"Delaying a humanitarian pause will increase the risk of spread among children," Mr Lazzarini said. "To have an impact, the vaccines must end up in the mouths of every child under the age of 10."

The plan to bring in at least 1.2 million vaccines into Gaza faces logistical challenges, such as the need for a "cold chain" to keep the doses at the correct temperature until they are administered.

Gaza currently does not have a single fully functioning hospital, with the healthcare system obliterated by Israeli bombardment and raids since the war began on October 7.

The inoculation campaign will therefore require setting up centres for people to visit and mobile units to go tent-to-tent in Gaza, where 90 per cent of people have been displaced.

The territory's sewerage system and rubbish collection are no longer functioning, leading to the overflow of waste water and piles of rubbish that raise the risk of infection spreading in overcrowded displacement camps.

Difficulty bringing in medical equipment and fuel because of Israeli controls is another obstacle to achieving the 95 per cent vaccination rate that the UN and WHO are aiming for to ensure no more children are infected.

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Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball

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More than 30,000 volunteers are required for Expo 2020

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• Buy second hand stuff

They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.

• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres

Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.

• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.

Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.

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Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.

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The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.

In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.

In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.

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