WHO: 600,000 Gaza children vaccinated against polio

A polio vaccination drive in Gaza reached more than 602,795 children over the past five days, the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) announced yesterday.

Tedros Ghebreyesus said the ceasefire allowed previously-missed children to receive a dose of the inoculation, adding that eradicating polio depends on ensuring that all children receive full immunisation and have access to safe water, cleanliness and adequate nutrition without interruption.

Ghebreyesus stressed that the only treatment that all children in Gaza need is a “lasting peace”.

The polio vaccination campaign was conducted in collaboration with the Gaza Health Ministry, the WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF),and the United Nations Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced that the campaign was being launched on Saturday, citing concerns over the resurgence of polio after traces of the virus were found in sewage systems.

Polio virus was detected in the sewage in Gaza at the end of July, with Israel taking immediate action to vaccinate its troops.

Two previous vaccination rounds in September and October 2024 reached over 95 per cent of children, but access challenges in areas such as Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun left about 7,000 children unvaccinated, according to Peeperkorn. This came after a ten-month-old baby was confirmed as the first polio case in the territory in August.

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