A large-scale polio vaccination campaign, led by UN agencies and Palestinian health authorities, began in Gaza on September 1, 2024, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The campaign aims to vaccinate over 640,000 children under the age of 10 against polio, following the confirmation of Gaza’s first polio case in 25 years.The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered 1.26 million doses of oral vaccine to Gaza, with the goal of vaccinating at least 90% of children to ensure the campaign’s effectiveness. The vaccination drive is being conducted in phases, starting in central Gaza before moving to the more devastated northern and southern regions.Despite agreed-upon ‘humanitarian pauses’ to facilitate the vaccination efforts, the situation remains precarious. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized that these pauses do not constitute a ceasefire. Reports of continued Israeli airstrikes have raised concerns about the safety and efficacy of the campaign.The vaccination effort comes against the backdrop of a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the death toll since October 7, 2023, has surpassed 40,700, with recent strikes killing at least 47 Palestinians in the last 24 hours. The ongoing conflict has left much of Gaza in ruins, with severe shortages of food, clean water, and medicine.As the vaccination campaign progresses, health workers and UN officials stress the need for a more comprehensive ceasefire to ensure its success. UNRWA spokesperson Louise Wateridge stated, ‘It is a critical moment for the vaccination campaign, and we hope that the ceasefire will be respected’. The international community continues to call for a lasting ceasefire to address the humanitarian crisis and facilitate essential health interventions in Gaza.
Key points
- A UN-led polio vaccination campaign has begun in Gaza, aiming to vaccinate over 640,000 children.
- The campaign is being conducted amid ongoing conflict, with agreed-upon humanitarian pauses.
- The Gaza death toll has surpassed 40,700 since October 2023, with recent strikes killing at least 47 Palestinians.
- Health workers and UN officials stress the need for a comprehensive ceasefire to ensure the vaccination campaign’s success.
Contradictions👾While there are reports of agreed-upon humanitarian pauses for the vaccination campaign, there are also reports of continued Israeli airstrikes, creating uncertainty about the effectiveness of these pauses.
