Polio mass vaccination campaign to resume in Gaza on Saturday: WHO
- 19 Feb 2025
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday that a mass campaign to vaccinate children against polio in Gaza would resume on Saturday, with over half a million children targeted.
The United Nations health agency said no more polio cases had been reported since a 10-month-old child was paralysed in Gaza last August. But it said that poliovirus had been found again in wastewater samples taken in the Gaza Strip in December and January, "signalling ongoing circulation in the environment, putting children at risk."
"The presence of the virus still poses a risk to children with low or no immunity, in Gaza and throughout the region."
A new campaign would therefore take place from Feb.22 to 26, with the aim of reaching more than 591,000 children with oral polio vaccines, it said.
"The current environment in Gaza, including overcrowding in shelters and severely damaged water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, which facilitates fecal-oral transmission, create ideal conditions for further spread of poliovirus," the WHO statement said.
"Extensive population movement consequent to the current ceasefire is likely to exacerbate the spread of poliovirus infection," it added.
In September and October last year WHO conducted two rounds of vaccinations across the enclave, reaching over 95% of the target.
The virus is still circulating in the enclave, meaning it could still reach a child who is under or un-immunized. Six samples tested positive in December and January, WHO added.
Though access for health workers has improved since the ceasefire came into place on January 19, some areas could not be accessed due to the fighting at the time. 7,000 children missed vaccination in Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun, according to the organisation.
The aim was to reach all children under 10, including those previously missed, "to close immunity gaps and end the outbreak", it said, adding that another vaccination round was planned for April.
Poliovirus, most often spread through sewage and contaminated water, is highly infectious and potentially fatal.
It can cause deformities and paralysis and mainly affects children under the age of five.
After the August case was reported, brief localised pauses in Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza were agreed to allow for two vaccination rounds in the territory in September and October. Those rounds reached more than 95 per cent of the children targeted, WHO said.
The ceasefire in effect since January 19 "means health workers have considerably better access now," WHO said.
The agency stressed that "pockets of individuals with low or no immunity provide the virus an opportunity to continue spreading and potentially cause disease."
"The current environment in Gaza, including overcrowding in shelters and severely damaged water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, which facilitates fecal-oral transmission, create ideal conditions for further spread of poliovirus," it warned. It warned that the movement of people after the current ceasefire could help spread the virus. WHO stressed that there are no risks to vaccinating a child more than once.
"Each dose gives additional protection which is needed during an active polio outbreak."
Agencies
