A massive emergency vaccination campaign will roll out from February 22 to 26, 2025, aiming to protect over 591,000 children under 10 from a potential polio outbreak.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, and other partners have joined forces to tackle this emergency after recent polio traces were found in Gaza’s wastewater.
In a statement jointly issued by the organisations on Thursday, they said, “Poliovirus is still circulating in the environment, and children remain at risk. The campaign is crucial to prevent further spread and to close immunity gaps.”
The new oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) will be administered to all children, with a focus on areas previously inaccessible due to conflict.
The launch follows previous successful vaccination rounds in September and October 2024, where over 95% of the targeted population was reached. However, some areas like Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun, still missed out on vaccines due to challenges in accessing these regions.
“Approximately 7 000 children missed vaccination during the second round. The recent ceasefire means health workers have considerably better access now,” they added. “Polio vaccines are safe and there is no maximum number of times a child should be vaccinated. Each dose gives additional protection which is needed during an active polio outbreak.
Despite no new cases since August 2024, traces of the virus continue to be found, underscoring the need for this new round of vaccinations. Partners, including the Palestinian Ministry of Health, will also conduct another round in April 2025.
