Gaza Strip receives a million doses of COVID-19 vaccines funded by UAE

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip has received a medical supplies convoy provided by the UAE, containing one million doses of the Sputnik V vaccine to fight COVID-19.

The convoy arrived in the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Border Crossing, and is the largest medical support of its kind provided by the UAE to Gaza since the outbreak of the pandemic.

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These vaccines will be distributed immediately to vaccination centres to encourage people to get vaccinated as the Gaza Strip enters its fourth wave of the pandemic.

Ghazi Hamad, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Social Development, thanked the UAE for its significant assistance, which comes at a critical time when the Gaza Strip is exposed to its fourth wave, to enhance the health sector's countermeasures of the pandemic.

 A Palestinian man walks towards the Khaledi Mosque by the seashore in the cold of the winter season in Gaza City. 

In a press conference held at the Rafah Border Crossing after the shipment arrival, Hamad said, "The medical supplies shipment is large and appreciated from our brothers in the UAE."

He also thanked the Emirati leadership for the generous donation of medical equipment and the establishment of the UAE Hospital.

Former Palestinian Health Minister Jawad al-Tibi said, "The health sector is one of the time-consuming sectors, and we are facing a global pandemic that requires unremitting efforts."

He said, "The UAE sends aid after aid in order to support our steadfastness and address difficulties and disease in the Gaza Strip," adding that, "This batch of UAE assistance came at the appropriate time to support the health sector and vaccinate students."