In response to the first instance of polio in 25 years, the WHO has delivered 1.2 million polio vaccinations to Gaza, with 400,000 more on the way. The programme begins this weekend to inoculate around 640,000 children on the war-torn coast.
Three-day humanitarian pauses in warfare have been agreed upon in various places to save lives. Over 2,000 health and community workers at hundreds of Gaza locations need these daily pauses from 6 am to 3 pm to safely administer immunisations.
The campaign’s success depends on all parties respecting negotiated pauses. Israeli troops’ deadly attacks on aid convoys have increased concerns about relief workers and families’ safety during vaccinations. These pauses are crucial to preventing polio and protecting vulnerable children in Gaza and the area, according to the UN and UNICEF.
UNICEF’s executive director, Catherine Russell, said, “Failing to respect these pauses would be an unforgivable failure for the children in Gaza and the region, who have already suffered so much.”
Global attention is focused on the campaign’s safety and the efficacy of this important health initiative in one of the world’s most turbulent places.
Image Credit: https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/08/1153576
