Summary Syrian government has vowed to vaccinate all children after cases of polio emerged in the country.
DAMASCUS (AP) - Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad has vowed that authorities will vaccinate all Syrian children after cases of polio emerged in the country s northeast.
Mekdad said the government will cooperate with U.N. agencies and aid groups to reach children, particularly those who live in rebel-held areas.
Mekdad s statements came days after the U.N. health agency confirmed 10 polio cases in northeast Syria, the first confirmed outbreak of the disease in the country in 14 years, raising a risk of it spreading. The confirmed cases are among babies and toddlers, all under 2, who were "under-immunized," according to the World Health Organization.
He didn t say when the vaccination campaign would occur, or how it would reach rebel-held areas.
Mekdad spoke Monday at a press conference in the Syrian capital Damascus.
