Thousands of doses of vaccines against childhood diseases including polio and measles have begun entering the Gaza Strip to help deal with a growing health emergency in the besieged enclave, the Palestinian health ministry said, Reuters reports.

The ministry said supplies, estimated to be sufficient to cover vaccinations for between 8 and 14 months, had entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt with the aid of Egyptian government cold storage facilities.

Yasser Bouzia, head of international relations in the health ministry in Ramallah, said there were estimated to be some 60,000 new born babies in Gaza, who would normally receive vaccination but who have been largely cut off from medical services.

The vaccines against diseases including rubella, polio, measles and mumps come from supplies purchased by the Palestinian health ministry and also donated by UNICEF, the United Nations children’s fund, the ministry said.