Urgent Polio Vaccination Campaign Launches in Gaza Amidst Conflict.

Gaza:

Hundreds of Gazan families have been lining up since early Sunday morning for their children to receive a crucial polio vaccination, part of a campaign aimed at halting the resurgence of the virus in the region. The outbreak has been attributed to unsanitary conditions, and health authorities are working to prevent further spread both locally and internationally.

UNRWA spokesperson Sam Rose reported that over 200 vaccination teams are deployed across 25 locations in Gaza’s middle areas. To effectively control the outbreak, at least 90 percent of children must be vaccinated during each campaign phase.

The campaign, described by Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s head, as “a race against time,” will proceed in stages over three days, covering different Gaza areas each time. Daily monitoring will assess vaccination coverage, with possible extensions of the campaign if needed.

Organized by UNRWA, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the vaccination drive is contingent on a temporary pause in fighting between Hamas and Israeli forces. The UN bodies involved stress the critical need for security to protect both health workers and civilians.

In a related development, news emerged of the death of six hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, in a social media statement, expressed deep concern over the hostages’ deaths and reiterated the urgent need for their unconditional release and an end to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director-general, also highlighted the importance of peace, stating, “Ultimately, the best vaccine for these children is peace.”