Protecting children amid crisis: Inside the Middle East vaccination drive with IFRC teams

In this episode, we look at a major vaccination drive now underway across Gaza and Lebanon, where IFRC and Red Cross and Red Crescent teams are working to reach children who have missed routine immunizations due to conflict, displacement, and economic collapse.Health systems across the region are under immense strain, leaving many children unprotected from diseases like measles and polio. Backed by funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the IFRC is supporting the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Lebanese Red Cross to deliver vaccines through primary health centers, mobile teams, and outreach in hard-to-reach communities.We speak with Tasneem Obaid, IFRC’s Immunization Senior Officer in MENA, who joins us to share the program’s priorities, the challenges volunteers face on the ground, and the early results showing how vital this work is for families living through crisis.