The polio vaccination campaign in Gaza has begun on 1 September following the arrival of 1.26 million doses of OPV2 vaccines and 500 insulated vaccine carriers.
Save the Children's Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC) in Deir Al-Balah has been designated as one of the key polio vaccination sites where health workers ensure an efficient vaccination process
Polio Vaccination in Gaza: Four Things to Know
Following the confirmed case of polio in Gaza, aid agencies and medical professionals joined forces to call urgently for a ceasefire to allow life-saving polio vaccinations to be administered to about 640,000 children under the age of 10.
Polio had been eliminated in Gaza more than two decades ago, but last month the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the virus had been found in sewage samples from sites in Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah. This month, one case was confirmed by Gaza’s Ministry of Health in an unvaccinated 10-month-old child in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip.Ìý
Here are four things to know about the dangers of a mass polio outbreak in Gaza and the vaccinations underway:
What is polio and why are children in Gaza at risk?Ìý
Polio, a virus that can cause irreversible paralysis in a matter of hours, is particularly dangerous in Gaza, where high malnutrition rates and toxic stress levels make children more vulnerable to infection.
Ìý- Why is polio back in Gaza? Ìý
The reemergence of the polio virus in Gaza is a direct result of the destruction of water and sanitation infrastructure, and the Government of Israel's restrictions on repairs and supplies. Coupled with overcrowding, displacement, and a crippled healthcare system, these actions have created an environment ripe for the spread of the virus in Gaza.
Ìý What is »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵdoing?Ìý
Our Primary Health Care Center in Deir Al-Balah has been designated as one of the key vaccination sites. The polio vaccination campaign in Gaza began on September 1, following the arrival of 1.26 million doses of OPV2 vaccines and 500 insulated vaccine carriers.
ÌýOn Sunday, 1,825 children were vaccinated in our clinic. We aim to provide vaccinations to at least 3,000 children during the campaign.
ÌýWhat is »ÆÉ«ÊÓƵcalling for?Ìý
While we welcome the three-day humanitarian pauses to administer vaccinations, this must just be the beginning. A definitive ceasefire remains essential. Three days isn't enough for the children of Gaza.
ÌýThousands of children are now at imminent risk of polio, but they are also facing other diseases, starvation, and the deadly threat of bombs. A definitive ceasefire is vital to be able to safely reach and meet the urgent needs of children and families across Gaza.
