Gaza: Israeli strikes delay polio vaccine campaign in north
“The humanitarian pause is essential to the success of the programme, allowing partners to deliver vaccine supplies to health facilities, families,” the UN Health Agency said. safely access vaccination sites and mobile teams of health workers reach children in their communities.” World Polio Dayis marked every year on October 24.
However, due to escalating violence, heavy bombardment, mass evacuation orders and lack of guaranteed humanitarian moratoriums across most of northern Gaza, the Gaza Polio Technical Committee was forced to postpone the third and final phase of the campaign. Get started today.
This final phase aims to vaccinate 119,279 children across northern Gazaorganized by the committee, which includes the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHOUnited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and partners.
Surrounded and bombed
Currently, 400,000 people are trapped in the north, facing evacuation orders by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and constant bombardment in the ongoing year-long war, which began last year. deadly attacks led by Hamas on Israel and the capture of 250 hostages, more than 200 hostages. 100 of them remain in Gaza.
On Tuesday, UNRWA, WHO and other UN agencies request Israeli authorities reached out immediately to provide life-saving humanitarian aid.
UN health agency says current conditions, including ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure continues to jeopardize the safety and mobility of people in northern Gaza, leaving families unable to safely get their children vaccinatedand operational medical staff.
The campaign is ready to begin
“It is necessary to stop the polio epidemic as soon as possible before more children are paralyzed and the polio virus spreads further,” WHO said.
“It is therefore important that the vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is facilitated through the implementation of humanitarian moratoriums, ensuring access wherever there are eligible children lawsuit.”
WHO and UNICEF call on all parties to ensure that civilians, health workers and civilian infrastructure, such as schools, shelters, hospitals, are protected and reiterate their call for an immediate ceasefire. instantly.
To date, all logistics, supplies and trained human resources have been prepared to vaccinate children across northern Gaza with the second dose of the new oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) after the The first was conducted across the Gaza Strip from September 1 to 12, 2024.
However, as the area currently approved for the humanitarian pause has been significantly reduced and is now limited to Gaza City, a significant reduction compared to the first wave, many children in northern Gaza may have missed out dose of polio vaccine.
Polio returns to Gaza
After eliminating the disease a quarter of a century ago, Gaza reported its first case of polio earlier this year. one of the consequences of the year-long war and siege of the Strip, which has resulted in limited aid deliveries, damage and limited access to vital water and sanitation services, and overcrowding. crowded in temporary shelters due to Israel’s repeated evacuation orders.
This prompted a swift response from WHO and partners to launch a campaign across the devastated Strip.
To prevent the transmission and spread of the polio virus, at least 90% of children in every community and neighborhood must be vaccinated. Polio causes paralysis and other serious symptoms and can spread quickly.
Delaying the second dose of nOPV2 by six weeks reduces the impact of two closely spaced courses, reducing immunity.
The United Nations, in coordination with Palestinian health authorities, began vaccinating 640,000 children in the Gaza Strip in September. (document)
Delays could threaten the region
The fact that a significant number of children will miss the second dose of the vaccine will seriously jeopardize efforts to prevent transmission of the virus, the United Nations health agency stressed, adding that this that could also lead to further cases in the Gaza Strip and neighboring countries.
Since the launch of the second wave of the polio campaign in Gaza on October 14, 442,855 children under 10 years of age have been successfully vaccinated in the central and southern Gaza regions – 94% of the target in these areas. this area.
A total of 357,802 children aged 2 to 10 years received vitamin A supplements as part of efforts to integrate polio vaccine delivery with other essential health services in Gaza.
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