JERUSALEM/CAIRO/AMMAN: Two rounds of a polio vaccination campaign are set to start in late August and September 2024 across the Gaza Strip to combat the spread of a type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2).

WHO and UNICEF are urging all sides in the conflict to agree to seven-day humanitarian pauses to allow these vaccination rounds. These pauses would enable children and families to reach health facilities and allow outreach workers to visit children who cannot get to clinics.

During each campaign round, over 640,000 children under ten will receive two drops of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). The vaccine will be delivered to Gaza through Ben Gurion Airport by the end of August, requiring careful handling and transport.

Poliovirus was detected in July 2024 in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, and three children with symptoms of polio have been reported. Their stool samples are being tested in Jordan.

More than 1.6 million doses of nOPV2 will be sent to Gaza. The campaign will involve 708 vaccination teams and around 2,700 health workers, including mobile teams and community outreach workers. Efforts will also focus on raising awareness about polio.

Achieving at least 95% vaccination coverage is crucial to prevent the spread of polio, given the disrupted health and sanitation systems in Gaza. Adequate cash, fuel, and communication networks are also needed to support the campaign.

Gaza has been polio-free for 25 years, and its re-emergence poses a serious threat to local children and nearby regions. A ceasefire is essential to ensure public health safety.

-UN