Volunteers Rise to Battle Polio in Middle East

Fox Providence  reports:

The Syrian Health Ministry is working with international organizations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent to get vaccine to all areas of Syria, Health Minister Dr. Saad al-Nayef told WHO's regional committee on Monday in Muscat, Oman, the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency reported Tuesday.

But Dr. Bruce Aylward, the World Health Organization's assistant director-general for polio, emergencies and country collaboration, told CNN last week that his organization was not waiting for the confirmation to mount a vaccination campaign.

NBC New says: Vaccination efforts are focusing on more than 2 million children in Syria, as well as in populations in bordering countries — Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Egypt.