Gaza’s health authorities announced on Sunday the arrival of 1.26 million doses of polio vaccines to the densely populated coastal enclave, home to over 2 million people. The vaccination campaign, which targets 640,000 children, will be conducted in coordination with international health partners, according to a statement from the Palestinian Ministry of Health, based in Ramallah.
The campaign aims to vaccinate children from birth to 10 years old with two doses of the polio vaccine. Preparations are underway to launch the initiative in the coming days, despite ongoing security challenges in Gaza. The Health Ministry emphasized that it was working around the clock to ensure the safety of health personnel as they carried out the vaccination efforts amid what it referred to as continued “Israeli aggression” in the region.
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The ministry also urged the international community to pressure Israel into allowing unhindered access for medical workers in Gaza. The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres had previously announced that the UN would launch a two-phase vaccination campaign at the end of August to protect more than 640,000 children in Gaza from polio. .
Polio, a highly contagious virus, primarily affects children under 5 years old. The World Health Organization states that it spreads mainly through the fecal-oral route or through contaminated water or food.