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Two drops and many tears
protecting against polio,
one of the most devastating childhood diseases.
This government clinic is packed with
parents anxious to vaccinate their children
Arishia has brought her two daughters.
"I feel sad for the children who got polio", she tells me.
But thank God we have the vaccines here.
This center in Damascus has some of the best health care
there is in Syria.
The families here know it's safe to bring their children
It is not the same across the rest of the country.
Syria used to be polio free since the earlies 1990.
And now in the Nord east in the area torn by fighting
There are at least ten confirmed cases.
And fears that they could be more.
Some of those cases were brought here
to the hospital in the capital
They've been discharged, but the hospital is on alert
for any children with possible symptoms.
Doctor Nidal Abudshee oversees this process.
She is in charge of the Government Immunization program
It's a sudden disease with a flu like symptoms.
Children might become paralize in one or both legs.
This is a huge challenge and I will fight until there is no more polio in Syria.
It's horrid to fight this disease in the midst of war.
.......says that half a million children need to be urgently vaccinated.
In some areas it is really difficult
to implement the door to door vaccination.
If we want to contro the outbreak, the campaign should be very short...
...and very wide.
And this is the real problem that we are facing.
We don't have access to all the high risk areas.
Undergrowing pressure , Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister called in the press to highlight the humanitarian crisis.
Syria is responsible for every child, he said.
To ensure that every child is vaccinated against polio,
is the government prepared to do everything possible...
...including in some areas working with the opposition?
As far as the cooperation with undergroups, or terrorist groups
We believe that they have to accept that this medecin should reach its child.
And usually we asked the United Nations Organization in Syria to make the necessary contacts.
And we should help in this direction.
To protect their children eight agencies are called on all sides to cease fire to allow vaccinations
The opposition accuses the government to blocking in medical aid
to areas to their control.
This disease is spreads fast and with thousands of Syrians crossing borders every day...
... to escape the war polio threatens, not just Syria.
...... BBC News, Damascus.