As winter begins, four million Syrian children are reportedly in need of emergency aid — and polio prevention is just the tip of the iceberg.

As snow blanketed the Middle East this week, volunteers sponsored by UNICEF kicked off the region’s largest polio immunization response campaign to vaccinate more than 23 million children against polio in Syria and neighboring countries.

UNICEF

Inside Syria, the campaign aims to reach 2.2 million children, including those in areas of conflict missed during an earlier campaign, according to UNICEF.

UNICEF

The vaccinations are a rare moment of hope for Syria's children, who have often bore the brunt of their country's brutal civil-war, now in its third year.

The vaccinations are a rare moment of hope for Syria's children , who have often bore the brunt of their country's brutal civil-war, now in its third year.

UNICEF

In October, the World Health Organization confirmed media reports that polio — for the first time in 14 years — had struck again in Syria. So far, 17 cases have been confirmed.

Sharif Karim / Reuters

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For Syria’s Children, Polio Vaccinations Are A Rare Source Of Hope

As snow blanketed the Middle East this week, volunteers sponsored by UNICEF kicked off the region’s largest polio immunization response campaign to vaccinate more than 23 million children against polio in Syria and neighboring countries.

Inside Syria, the campaign aims to reach 2.2 million children, including those in areas of conflict missed during an earlier campaign, according to UNICEF.

The vaccinations are a rare moment of hope for Syria's children, who have often bore the brunt of their country's brutal civil-war, now in its third year.

In October, the World Health Organization confirmed media reports that polio — for the first time in 14 years — had struck again in Syria. So far, 17 cases have been confirmed.

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