GAZA CITY: A health official said a polio vaccination campaign had begun in Gaza on Saturday after the war-torn territory recorded its first case of the disease in 25 years. The campaign is a joint effort involving local health authorities, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Moussa Abed, the director of primary health care at Gaza’s health ministry, confirmed the start of the vaccination campaign in the central region of Gaza. The initiative aims to cover over 640,000 children under the age of 10 with two doses of the polio vaccine.
The World Health Organization (WHO) had announced earlier this week that Israel agreed to allow the vaccination campaign through a series of three-day “humanitarian pauses”. Although the campaign was initially slated to begin on Sunday, it has now kicked off in central Gaza, with plans to extend to southern and northern regions in the coming days.
Michael Ryan, WHO’s deputy director-general, revealed to the UN Security Council that 1.26 million doses of the oral polio vaccine had already been delivered to Gaza, with an additional 400,000 doses expected to arrive soon.
The decision to launch the vaccination drive follows confirmation of a polio case in a 10-month-old baby from central Gaza. The baby, who had not been vaccinated, tested positive for the disease after samples were sent to Jordan for analysis. Polio is a highly infectious disease that spreads through contaminated water and sewage, issues exacerbated by the ongoing Israeli military campaign.
The disease primarily affects children under five years old and can lead to severe complications, including paralysis and death. The situation in Gaza has been further strained by the ongoing conflict, which has severely impacted public health infrastructure and overall living conditions.
The health crisis in Gaza is compounded by Israel’s intense military campaign since October 7, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 40,691 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry. The relentless bombardment has not only inflicted heavy casualties but has also led to a severe humanitarian crisis, crippling Gaza’s health system and worsening living conditions for its residents.
