The World Health Organization (WHO) announced this Wednesday that the third phase of The polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip has been postponed. This pause is due to the “intense bombings” by Israel and the orders for the displacement of the population in the face of the new military offensive launched in the area.
“Due to the increase in violence, intense bombings, displacement orders mass and the lack of guaranteed humanitarian pauses in the majority of northern Loopthe Polio Technical Committee for Gaza has been forced to postpone the third phase of the polio vaccination campaign. This phase was going to begin this Wednesday,” the organization stated.
This final phase of the campaign aimed to vaccinate 119,279 children in northern Gaza. The Palestinian Ministry of Health, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the WHO itself.
“Current conditions, including attacks on civilian infrastructure, continue to endanger the safety and movement of people in northern Gaza. “This makes it impossible for families to safely take their children to be vaccinated and for health workers to operate,” he explained.
In this sense, he stressed that “all logistics, supplies and trained human resources were prepared to vaccinate children with a second dose of the new vaccine oral (nVOP2). “The first round of vaccination occurred in the Gaza Strip between September 1 and 12, 2024.”
The WHO has reported that the area approved for temporary humanitarian pauses has suffered a “substantial” reduction compared to the first round, being limited only to Gaza City. This causes “many children in the north they would have missed the dose of the polio vaccine“in case of continuing with the vaccination campaign.
“To interrupt the transmission of the virus poliomyelitis, at least 90% of children in all communities must be vaccinateda prerequisite for an effective campaign aimed at interrupting the outbreak and preventing its further spread,” the agency argued.
In this way, he has reiterated that “Humanitarian pauses are essential for the success of the campaignas they allow partners to deliver vaccination supplies to health centers. “It also allows families to safely access vaccination centers and mobile teams of health workers to reach children in their communities.”
For his part, the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, has admitted to being “very concerned” about this newseven more so after the suspension of vaccination is due to “the escalation of violence.” “We must stop the polio outbreak before more children are paralyzed and the virus spreads further,” he said in a publication on his official profile on the social network X.
Impact on immunization coverage
“A delay in the administration of the second dose of nVOP2 within six weeks reduces the impact of two closely spaced rounds for simultaneous reinforcement of immunity and the interruption of transmission of the virus,” the WHO has pointed out. In addition, it has warned that there is a “serious danger” to immunization efforts if “a significant number of children does not receive the second dose of the vaccine.”
“This too could lead to further spread of the virus in the Gaza Strip and neighboring countries, with the risk that more children will be paralyzed,” he stated. Since October 14, 442,855 children under the age of ten have been vaccinated in areas of the center and south of the Strip, which which represents 94 percent coverage of the initial objective.
In addition, the organization has indicated that “a total of 357,802 children between two and ten years old received supplements of vitamin “As part of efforts to integrate the delivery of the polio vaccine with other essential health services in Gaza.” He has also reiterated that “It is imperative to stop the polio outbreak as soon as possible” to prevent it from “spreading further.”
Likewise, it has asked all parties “ensure the protection of civilianshealth workers and civil infrastructure, such as schools, shelters and hospitals.” At the same time, he has reiterated his call for “a cease-fire immediate”.
The WHO confirmed in August a case of polio in a ten month old baby in the center of the enclave Palestinian in the midst of the Israeli offensive, the first case of this type ratified in the Gaza Strip for 25 years. Poliovirus was detected in environmental samples in Khan Yunis and Deir el Balah.
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