- WHO exceeds target for Gaza polio vaccinations as campaign continues
- 161,030 children under 10 were vaccinated on Sunday and Monday
- Israel and Hamas agreed to pauses in fighting to allow the rollout
- At least 10 more days needed to complete the first round. A second round is scheduled to begin in four weeks
WHO exceeds target for Gaza polio vaccinations as campaign continues
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that polio vaccinations in central Gaza have exceeded expectations during the first two days of its immunisation campaign. Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, reported that 161,030 children under 10 were vaccinated on Sunday and Monday, surpassing the initial target of 156,500.
The vaccination campaign was made possible after Israel and Hamas agreed to a series of localised pauses in fighting, following Gaza’s first confirmed polio case in 25 years, which left a 10-month-old partially paralyzed. These pauses, which occur from 06:00 to 15:00 local time, are being implemented in stages across different regions of Gaza.
The first stage began on Sunday in the Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis governorates, with plans to move to Rafah on Thursday, and then to North Gaza and Gaza City. So far, the campaign is progressing well, but there are at least 10 more days needed to complete the first round. A second round of vaccinations is scheduled to begin in four weeks.
There are ongoing negotiations to reach children outside the agreed pause zones in the south. The overall goal is to vaccinate 640,000 children.
Polio, a highly infectious virus spread through contaminated water and sewage, primarily affects children under five, leading to paralysis, disfigurement, and even death.