WHO begins polio vaccination efforts in Gaza for 600,000 children

Aug 8

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

The World Health Organization is intensifying its efforts to combat a polio outbreak in Gaza by planning to distribute 1.2 million vaccines after detecting the virus in the area’s wastewater. The vaccination campaign targets 600,000 children under the age of eight, with the first round set to begin Aug. 17.

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Despite these efforts, significant challenges persist. The Gaza Health Ministry declared a polio epidemic in the region last month, but with only a few hospitals operational and strict movement restrictions in place, distributing vaccines door-to-door is exceptionally difficult.

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WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for a temporary cease-fire to allow “absolute freedom of movement,” which is crucial for ensuring the vaccines reach those most in need without delay.

“In Gaza, the detection of polio in wastewater indicates the virus has been circulating, putting unvaccinated children at significant risk,” Tedros said. “We are not only distributing vaccines but also strengthening routine immunization and disease surveillance. For these operations to succeed, we urgently need unimpeded access for health workers and their equipment.”

Tedros also highlighted the dire public health conditions such as overcrowding, destroyed sewage systems, and a lack of clean water, creating an ideal breeding ground for the poliovirus.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military has begun vaccinating its soldiers as a precautionary measure, though WHO reports no clinical cases of polio have been found so far.

Tags: Gaza, Israel, Vaccinations, World Health Organization

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS STEPPING UP ITS RESPONSE TO A POSSIBLE POLIO OUTBREAK IN GAZA BY DISTRIBUTING 1.2 MILLION VACCINES, AFTER THE VIRUS WAS DETECTED IN THE REGION’S WASTEWATER.

THE VACCINATION CAMPAIGN TARGETS 600-THOUSAND CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHT, WITH THE FIRST ROUND STARTING NEXT WEEK.

HOWEVER, DELIVERING THESE CRUCIAL VACCINES PRESENTS SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES. IN JULY, GAZA’S HEALTH MINISTRY DECLARED A POLIO EPIDEMIC IN THE REGION. WITH ONLY A FEW HOSPITALS STILL OPERATIONAL, GAZA’S MEDICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS SEVERELY STRAINED. OFFICIALS SAYING THIS SITUATION, WORSENED BY STRICT MOVEMENT RESTRICTIONS, MAKES DOOR-TO-DOOR VACCINE DISTRIBUTION PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT.

THE AGENCY’S CHIEF EMPHASIZED THE NECESSITY OF A TEMPORARY CEASEFIRE, ADVOCATING FOR ‘ABSOLUTE FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT’ TO ENSURE THE VACCINES REACH THOSE MOST IN NEED WITHOUT DELAY.

DR. TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS
WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL
“The detection of polio in wastewater in Gaza is a tell-tale sign that the virus has been circulating in the community, putting unvaccinated children at risk. WHO is also supporting routine immunization and disease surveillance, including for polio. We need absolute freedom of movement for health workers and medical equipment to carry out these complex operations safely and effectively.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

DR. TEDROS HIGHLIGHTED THE DISASTROUS PUBLIC HEALTH CONDITIONS IN GAZA — OVERCROWDING, DESTROYED SEWAGE SYSTEMS, AND SCARCE CLEAN WATER — CREATING A PERFECT BREEDING GROUND FOR THE POLIOVIRUS.

THE ISRAELI MILITARY SAID IT HAD BEGAN VACCINATING ITS SOLDIERS AGAINST THE DISEASE LAST MONTH. SO FAR THE WHO SAYS NO CLINICAL CASES HAVE BEEN FOUND.

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