Third phase of polio vaccination campaign to resume in northern Gaza: WHO-UNICEF

A medic administers polio vaccine to a Palestinian child in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, on October 19, 2024, amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territories between Israel and Hamas. , Photo courtesy: AFP

The third phase of the polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to begin today (November 2, 2024) in part of the northern Gaza Strip, having been postponed to October 23, 2024 due to lack of access and assurances, widespread humanitarian disruption, intense bombardment. and mass evacuation orders.

According to a joint statement issued today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), “These conditions have made it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination and to organize campaign activities “

“The humanitarian provision required to carry out the operation has been assured; However, the area of ​​containment has been significantly reduced compared to the first round of vaccinations in northern Gaza, held in September 2024. Now it is limited to Gaza City only”, the statement said.

“Approximately 15,000 children under the age of ten in towns such as Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza remain inaccessible and will be missed during the operation, compromising its effectiveness. To interrupt poliovirus transmission, at least 90% of children in every community and neighborhood must be vaccinated. This will be challenging to achieve given the situation,” the statement said.

“Despite the lack of access to all eligible children in northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza has decided to resume the campaign. “This aims to reduce the risk of long delays in delivering polio vaccines to as many children as possible and to provide an opportunity to vaccinate people recently brought to Gaza City from other parts of northern Gaza,” it said. Has gone.

The campaign in Northern Gaza follows the successful implementation of the first two phases of the second round in Central and Southern Gaza, which reached 451,216 children – 96% of the target in these areas. So far in this period, a total of 3,64,306 children aged 2 to 10 years have received Vitamin A.