(MENAFN) UNICEF announced on Tuesday that 2,400 children in Gaza received multiple vaccines on the opening day of its ongoing catch-up campaign focusing on immunization, nutrition, and health.

The initiative is designed to protect children who missed routine vaccinations during two years of the Israeli conflict.

The campaign, organized alongside the WHO and other partners, aims to reach more than 40,000 children under the age of three. It will be carried out in three phases, with the first running from Nov. 9-18, followed by additional rounds planned for December and January.

"We have procured 1 million vaccines and got them across and into Gaza to protect children against deadly preventable diseases such as polio, measles and pneumonia," UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires told reporters in Geneva.

Beyond vaccinations, the campaign offers nutrition assessments and treatment for malnourished children. Services are being delivered through 149 health centers and 10 mobile clinics, supported by over 450 trained health personnel.

Pires highlighted that Gaza previously had 98% vaccination coverage and 55 immunization sites. However, "coverage has fallen below 70% with 31 vaccination facilities destroyed or damaged."

He described the initiative as "the first step towards restoring pre-conflict vaccination levels and rebuilding Gaza's damaged health system," noting that this effort will require "important and urgent donor support."

To date, no security issues have disrupted the campaign, which Pires referred to as "good news."

He cautioned, however, that its continued success depends on "a sustained ceasefire and the protection of humanitarian workers and families."

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