The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated a crucial vaccination campaign in Gaza, delivering 1.2 million doses of the polio vaccine to combat a resurgence of the disease that had been absent from the region for 25 years. The campaign, which aims to address the recent outbreak, will see an additional 400,000 doses delivered as part of an emergency response.
Humanitarian Pause to Facilitate Vaccination
The vaccination effort is set to begin this weekend and will be supported by a three-day humanitarian pause in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. This temporary ceasefire will enable the vaccination of over 640,000 children in Gaza, a region heavily impacted by the ongoing violence.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, confirmed that the vaccination drive will commence on Sunday. The campaign will involve daily humanitarian pauses from 6 am to 3 pm local time. UN officials in Gaza outlined that the campaign will be executed in phases over three days, targeting different areas of the coastal enclave.
Calls for Respecting Humanitarian Ceasefire
UN officials emphasized the need for both the Israeli military and Hamas militants to honor the humanitarian pauses to ensure the safe delivery of the vaccines. Despite acknowledging the logistical challenges, WHO officials believe the operation can succeed if all conditions are met.
The campaign will engage over 2,000 health and community workers across several hundred locations. Louise Wateridge, a UN official, highlighted that two oral doses of the polio vaccine will be administered initially, followed by a repeat dose four weeks later.
Concerns Over Safety of Aid Workers
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell has urged all parties involved in the conflict to prevent any disruptions to the vaccination effort. Russell stressed the urgency of the campaign, noting that any failure to respect the humanitarian pauses would severely impact the health and safety of Gaza’s children.
The call for stability comes after a recent incident where an Israeli missile struck a convoy carrying medical supplies and fuel, resulting in the deaths of five Palestinians.
The WHO and UNICEF stress the importance of this vaccination campaign to prevent a further spread of polio, underscoring that Gaza has been polio-free for a quarter-century until now.