Gaza polio vaccination campaign covers 600,000 children: WHO

A polio vaccination campaign in Gaza successfully immunized over 600,000 children, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday, crediting a ceasefire for enabling previously unreached children to receive their doses.

Polio reemerged in Gaza after more than 20 years, paralyzing a 10-month-old child in August. In response, two vaccination rounds were conducted in September and October, covering over 95% of the targeted children with the required two doses of oral vaccine.

However, environmental samples from two locations, collected in December 2024 and January 2025, confirmed that the poliovirus was still circulating.

Following the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on January 19, a new vaccination campaign was launched on Saturday, aiming to immunize 591,000 children under the age of 10. The initiative involved 1,600 vaccination teams and more than 1,200 social mobilizers.

The five-day campaign concluded on Wednesday, reaching 602,795 children, according to WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who shared the update on X.

“The ceasefire allowed health workers to reach more children than in previous vaccination rounds in 2024, including those missed due to population displacement and insecurity,” he stated.

“Eradicating polio requires vaccinating every child, ensuring access to clean water, sanitation, and proper nutrition. However, what the children of Gaza need most is lasting peace.”

Poliovirus, primarily spread through sewage and contaminated water, is highly infectious and can be fatal. It affects mainly children under five, causing paralysis and deformities.

During the first three days of the latest vaccination drive, nearly 548,000 children received doses, with the final two days dedicated to catching up. Despite cold and rainy weather, parents continued to bring their children to vaccination centers, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, Rik Peeperkorn, noted.

He described the high vaccination turnout within the first three days as “remarkable,” exceeding expectations.

The initial vaccination rounds in 2024 were conducted during localized humanitarian pauses in the conflict that erupted after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. However, access to certain areas remained restricted, leaving around 7,000 children unvaccinated in the second round.

A fourth round of vaccinations is scheduled in four weeks.