The recent rollout of a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza marked a crucial effort in combating the resurgence of the disease in the region. The United Nations has reported a successful start to the campaign, which aims to immunize 640,000 children against polio. This significant health initiative comes in response to the first confirmed case of polio in Gaza in 25 years.
The Need for Urgent Vaccination
Polio, a potentially debilitating virus that primarily affects young children, can lead to permanent paralysis and, in severe cases, death. The disease is caused by the poliovirus, which can spread through contaminated food and water. In Gaza, the need for a robust polio vaccination programme has become pressing due to recent outbreaks and ongoing conflict, which have severely strained healthcare services and disrupted routine immunizations.
The campaign to vaccinate Gaza’s children is of paramount importance, given that approximately 90% of Gazans have been displaced due to conflict, and regular health services have been compromised. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), at least 90% of children under 10 must be immunized in a short time frame to ensure the vaccine’s effectiveness and prevent further spread.
The Rollout Process
The vaccination drive relies on temporary humanitarian pauses in fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas fighters, which allow health workers to administer vaccines. The first three-day window of this campaign began on Sunday, with efforts initially focused on central Gaza. Health centers have reported positive progress, with nearly 2,000 children vaccinated at the Deir el-Balah clinic alone.
UNICEF has played a crucial role in facilitating this campaign, delivering around 1.3 million doses of the vaccine through the Kerem Shalom checkpoint. These doses have been stored under strict temperature controls to maintain their efficacy. An additional 400,000 doses are expected to arrive soon. The vaccination programme will extend to the north and south of Gaza in subsequent phases.
The Challenges of Implementing the Campaign
Implementing the polio vaccination programme in an active combat zone presents unique challenges. Jonathan Crickx of UNICEF emphasized the importance of maintaining the temporary truces for the success of the campaign. Without these pauses, conducting a vaccination drive would be virtually impossible.
Moreover, the polio variant causing the current outbreak is a mutated strain of the virus derived from the oral polio vaccine. This strain has evolved from the weakened live virus present in the vaccine, a rare but documented phenomenon. To prevent further mutations and break the virus’s transmission chain, it is critical to administer the vaccine quickly and effectively.
A Ray of Hope
The ongoing conflict has left many Gazan families struggling, with some, like the Abu Judyan family, experiencing heartbreaking consequences. One-year-old Abdulrahman, who was diagnosed with polio after missing his routine vaccinations due to the conflict, now faces potential lifelong disability.
In light of these dire circumstances, the polio vaccination campaign represents a critical step towards safeguarding the health of Gaza’s children. With over 2,000 workers involved and plans for more than 400 fixed vaccination sites, the effort aims to reach as many children as possible. Each child will receive two doses of the oral polio vaccine, administered in two rounds to ensure maximum protection.
As Gaza navigates through its complex and challenging situation, the hope is that this campaign will help eliminate one significant source of suffering, offering a glimmer of hope for a healthier future amid the ongoing crisis.
