The second phase of the UN-led vaccination campaign against polio is making significant strides in southern Gaza. Over 140,000 children under 10 years old were vaccinated in the area on Saturday as part of the ongoing efforts by UNRWA, the main UN agency in Gaza.
UNRWA has set ambitious targets for the campaign, aiming to immunize 640,000 children in the enclave, which accounts for over 90% of children under 10. The campaign, which began in September, is being conducted in three-day installments based on geographic areas, starting with central Gaza, followed by south Gaza, and concluding in north Gaza.
Each child is scheduled to receive two doses of the vaccine, administered in two rounds four weeks apart. During the recent phase in south Gaza, 145,202 children under 10 received their second polio dose, while 119,055 children aged 2-10 received vitamin A supplements.
Despite challenges, including disruptions due to conflict, the campaign has been progressing with the support of agreed-upon pauses in fighting by the Israeli military. However, last week, vaccinations at a UN school in central Gaza had to be canceled due to severe damage caused by an Israeli airstrike.
The urgency of the vaccination campaign stems from the resurgence of polio in Gaza following the destruction of water and sanitation systems during the conflict. More than 560,000 children under 10 received their first vaccine doses in September, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Polio primarily affects children under 5 and can lead to irreversible paralysis and death. It is a highly infectious disease with no cure, emphasizing the critical role of immunization in prevention, according to WHO.
