The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that more than 161,000 children in central Gaza have received their first dose of the polio vaccine as part of a UN-led mass vaccination campaign. This effort exceeded initial expectations, with WHO originally aiming to vaccinate 156,000 children in the first two days. The higher-than-expected turnout is partly due to the displacement of families amidst ongoing conflict in the region.
The vaccination campaign was launched in response to the first polio case in Gaza in 25 years, raising concerns of a potential outbreak, especially given the cramped living conditions of many displaced residents. Due to the volatile situation, it has been challenging to ensure that all children are reached, prompting WHO to consider extending the campaign in central Gaza by an additional day.
Following the efforts in central Gaza, the campaign will move to southern Gaza, where around 340,000 children under the age of 10 are set to be vaccinated against the type 2 polio virus. A subsequent three-day campaign will target another 150,000 children in northern Gaza.
For the vaccine to be effective, all children will need a second dose in four weeks. WHO emphasizes that reaching more than 90% of the children in Gaza is crucial to preventing a potential outbreak.