Grant Aid to UNICEF for the Project for Improving the Control of Infectious Diseases and the Nutritional Status of Palestinian Children and Preventing Inner-hospital Infection of Newborn Babies in the Palestinian Territories

July 10, 2006

1. The Government of Japan has decided to extend a grant aid of 374 million yen to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for the "Project for Improving the Control of Infectious Diseases and the Nutritional Status of Palestinian Children and Preventing Inner-hospital Infection of Newborn Babies" in the Palestinian territories. Notes to this effect were exchanged on July 10 (Mon) in Jerusalem between Mr. Jun Yokota, Japanese Ambassador to Israel, and Mr. Dan Rohrmann, Special Representative, UNICEF occupied Palestinian territories.
2. Vaccination against infectious diseases in the Palestinian territories had been carried out by the Israeli civil administrations, but it was taken over by the Palestinian Authority (PA) that was established in accordance with the 1993 Oslo Accord. Thanks to the cooperation of the international community including Japan, the vaccination rate of children, which has been about 60% in the 1960s, improved to 95% in 1997, and that of pregnant women also improved to 30%. Since clashes with the Israeli military in 2000, however, the PA's financial situation has been worsening, making it hard to carry out necessary and sufficient vaccination.
   
   In such a situation, UNICEF and the PA have formulated the "Project for Improving the Control of Infectious Diseases and the Nutritional Status of Palestinian Children and Preventing Inner-hospital Infection of Newborn Babies", and have requested from the Government of Japan grant assistance to procure basic medicines (vaccines for polio, etc. and iodine) and equipment necessary for the project.
3. Japan has been extending contributions to improve the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territories, recognizing that the assistance to the Palestinian territories is vital to advance the Middle East peace process. It is expected that this project will enable about 110,000 newborn babies and infants to be vaccinated and their state of nutrition improved. And it is also expected to raise the awareness of mothers and medical staff through education, and to achieve the improvement of preventive measures against infectious diseases in 28 hospitals.

Related Information (Japan-Palestinian Authorities Relations)
Related Information (Health and Medical Care)