Amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, health workers in Gaza have launched a critical mass vaccination campaign to curb the outbreak of polio, a disease that had been eradicated in the region for 25 years.
The effort, which began at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, aims to reach over 640,000 young Palestinian children within a few days.
The United Nations is spearheading the campaign, with cooperation from both Israel, which has agreed to temporary pauses in fighting, and Hamas.
Polio, a highly contagious and potentially paralyzing disease, has resurfaced in Gaza after months of war have devastated the region’s infrastructure, including healthcare facilities.
The virus was detected in multiple sewage samples, and experts suspect that mild cases may already be present in the population.
The World Health Organization has expressed deep concern that diseases like polio could result in more deaths than the ongoing war itself.
Over 40,000 people have died in the conflict, according to Gaza’s health ministry, and the number of deaths from illness is unclear.
However, there has been a significant rise in infections, including diarrhea among children, who have had limited access to vaccines for nearly a year due to the destruction of hospitals and a reliance on contaminated water.
UNICEF has supported the delivery of more than 1.2 million doses of oral polio vaccine to Gaza, with an additional 400,000 doses en route.
The campaign, which commenced slightly ahead of schedule, is set to be rolled out in stages across Gaza, starting in the central area and then moving to the southern and northern regions.
Israel has committed to halting military operations for eight hours each day in specific areas to allow the campaign to proceed.
One of the major challenges facing the vaccination effort is the lack of electricity in Gaza, which is critical for maintaining the cold chain necessary for the vaccine’s effectiveness.
Another is the widespread displacement of Gaza’s population, making it difficult for families to access U.N.-run clinics.
Despite these hurdles, the U.N. has emphasized that a cessation in airstrikes is vital for the success of the vaccination campaign. The organization has warned that without such pauses, the effort to contain the polio outbreak will fail.
The first confirmed case of polio in Gaza was identified earlier this month in a 10-month-old baby, who developed paralysis in one leg. There are at least two other suspected cases, but the real number of infections is likely much higher, as most people infected with polio do not show symptoms.
The risk of the virus spreading beyond Gaza is significant, with concerns that it could reach Israel, Egypt, Jordan, and potentially even Europe and the United States.
Israeli soldiers deployed in Gaza have already begun receiving vaccinations as a precautionary measure.
The initial phase of the vaccination campaign is planned to last three days, with the possibility of an extension to account for obstacles such as renewed violence and infrastructure damage.
The U.N. aims to achieve at least 90% vaccination coverage to halt the outbreak and prevent the virus from spreading internationally. A second dose will be administered four weeks later.
