On Tuesday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that nearly 161,000 children in central Gaza had received their first dose of polio vaccine.
The vaccine marked the first launch of a UN-led mass vaccination program in the besieged Palestinian territories.
The WHO had originally hoped to contact 156,000 children in the first two days of the campaign, which began on Sunday, but the number of children reached in central Gaza at that time exceeded expectations.
Nonetheless, the WHO reported that a greater number of youngsters than anticipated were presently residing in central Gaza due to the ongoing displacement caused by the war.
After nearly 11 months of fighting, Israel is still targeting the Palestinian militant group Hamas throughout the Gaza Strip, forcing thousands of Gazans to flee their homes on a regular basis. The WHO stated that it was challenging to guarantee that every child was vaccinated because to the unstable conditions in Gaza.
The agencies also declared that the three days that were originally scheduled for operations in central Gaza would probably be added on.
When the first case of polio was reported in the region after 25 years, the UN pushed for the launch of a campaign to eradicate the disease throughout Gaza.Given that hundreds of thousands of internally displaced individuals are presently living in substandard conditions, experts worry that an outbreak may occur soon.
Although there were reports of Israeli military strikes overnight on Monday, Israel and Hamas have agreed to limited daily pauses in hostilities from 6 am to 2 pm (0300 – 1100 GMT) to allow the campaign to proceed.
According to the UN, several families found it too risky to visit vaccination clinics, and the violence made it difficult for mobile vaccination teams to reach these people.
Following operations in central Gaza, vaccination teams are planning to inoculate around 340,000 children under the age of ten against the type 2 polio virus in southern Gaza. This would come after a three-day campaign targeting another 150,000 children in northern Gaza.
To ensure the vaccine’s effectiveness, all kids will require a second dosage in four weeks. According to the WHO, more than 90% of the children in Gaza must be reached to prevent an outbreak.
In Essence
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) successful vaccination of 161,000 children in central Gaza with the polio vaccine marks a critical step in public health amid a challenging and unstable environment. The higher-than-expected number of children reached reflects the dire situation in Gaza, where displacement due to ongoing conflict has led to increased population density in certain areas.
The campaign’s urgency is underscored by the detection of the first polio case in the region after 25 years, highlighting the risk of an outbreak, particularly among the large number of internally displaced individuals living in poor conditions. The initiative’s success so far, despite the logistical challenges and security risks, demonstrates the resilience and commitment of health agencies to protect vulnerable populations.
The temporary daily pauses in hostilities between Israel and Hamas, from 6 am to 2 pm, facilitate the vaccination efforts, allowing some movement and access for families and health workers. However, the ongoing violence still poses significant risks, making it difficult for many families to access vaccination clinics and for mobile teams to operate safely.
