UN Urges Gaza Ceasefire for Urgent Polio Vaccination as First Case in 25 Years Confirmed

The United Nations has issued an urgent call for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to facilitate a critical polio vaccination campaign. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has requested a seven-day pause in hostilities to vaccinate over 640,000 children under 10 years old against polio. This appeal comes in response to the alarming detection of poliovirus in Gaza’s wastewater and the confirmation of the first polio case in 25 years – a 10-month-old unvaccinated baby in Deir al-Balah.The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF are planning to launch two rounds of vaccination campaigns in late August and September 2024. However, they emphasize that without humanitarian access, the campaign will not be possible. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed, ‘Humanitarian pauses are vital to ensure that life-saving vaccines reach all the children in need. We request that all parties implement seven-day humanitarian pauses during each round of the campaign’.The situation is described as alarming, with the potential for international spread. WHO’s Emergency Health Team leader in Gaza and the West Bank, Ayidel Sabarbiev, warned, ‘The risk of poliovirus transmission in Gaza is high, not only due to its detection but also due to the very poor sanitation system’. This highlights the dire state of Gaza’s healthcare and sanitation systems amidst ongoing conflict.Guterres emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, ‘Preventing and containing the spread of polio will take a massive, coordinated and urgent effort’. He added, ‘Let us be clear: the ultimate vaccine against polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire’.The WHO has approved the release of 1.6 million doses of the polio vaccine, and UNICEF is coordinating the delivery of vaccines and cold chain equipment. However, significant challenges remain, including facilitating the transport of vaccines and ensuring the safety of health workers.

Key points

  • UN calls for a seven-day humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza for polio vaccination.
  • First polio case in 25 years confirmed in Gaza, a 10-month-old unvaccinated baby.
  • WHO and UNICEF plan to vaccinate over 640,000 children under 10 in late August and September.
  • Poliovirus detected in Gaza’s wastewater, raising concerns of potential outbreak and international spread.
  • Contradictions👾There is a discrepancy in the number of children to be vaccinated, with some sources citing 640,000 and others mentioning 24,000.

    👾The duration of the requested ceasefire varies in reports, with some mentioning a seven-day pause and others suggesting two seven-day breaks.

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