The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that it is sending over 1 million polio vaccines to the Gaza Strip, amid concerns about a possible mass outbreak of the disease. The vaccines will be administered in the coming weeks.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the detection of polio in wastewater in Gaza is a warning sign that the virus has been circulating in the community, putting unvaccinated children at risk. He emphasized that absolute freedom of movement for health workers and medical equipment is necessary to safely and effectively carry out the vaccination campaigns.
Tedros also stressed that a ceasefire or “days of tranquility” are required during the preparation and delivery of the vaccination campaigns to protect children in Gaza from polio. The WHO had expressed “extreme” concern about a possible mass outbreak of polio in Gaza following the recent detection of the poliovirus in sewage.
The WHO’s efforts aim to prevent a potential outbreak of the highly contagious disease, which can cause severe and irreversible paralysis. The organization is working to ensure that all children in Gaza are protected from polio and that the virus is eradicated from the region.
