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Rabat – The Gaza Strip has reported its first case of polio in 25 years, triggering a critical vaccination drive by health agencies despite Israel’s ongoing genocide in the region.
The United Nations is mobilizing a mass vaccination effort starting August 31, aiming to vaccinate 640,000 children across Gaza, AFP reported. However, the campaign faces severe challenges due to the persistent airstrikes, restrictions on aid, and damaged infrastructure.
A 10-month-old baby from central Gaza tested positive for polio last week, according to the Palestinian health ministry. This diagnosis came after traces of the type 2 poliovirus were found in wastewater samples collected in June.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that spreads through contaminated water and sewage. It primarily affects young children and can cause severe paralysis and death.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are spearheading the vaccination campaign, with plans to deploy 2,700 health workers in 708 teams. The campaign will involve administering two doses of the oral polio vaccine to about 95% of children under the age of ten.
Read also: WHO: Ceasefire Critical to Prevent Polio Outbreak in Gaza
Cold storage equipment necessary for the vaccine has already arrived in the region, and 1.6 million doses are expected to enter Gaza soon, according to the report.
Despite these preparations, the war complicates the logistics of the vaccination effort with no prospects of an imminent ceasefire deal.
UN officials have emphasized the urgency of securing a safe environment for the vaccination campaign. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for two temporary ceasefires to facilitate the distribution and administration of vaccines.
“Without a safe environment for the vaccination campaign, we will not be able to reach 95 percent of the children under the age of 10, which is the goal of this campaign,” said Moussa Abed, director of primary health care at the Gaza health ministry.
Speaking to AFP, an Israeli ministry body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories (COGAT) did not directly mention the planned UN campaign, but said that “on the issue of polio, a joint effort will be made together with the international community.”
