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A quarter-century after the last recorded case, polio’s resurgence in the Gaza Strip has thrown health workers and aid agencies into a race against time, as they grapple with the treacherous Milieu of war-torn Palestine to implement a mass vaccination program.
The already daunting task of vaccinating Gaza’s population against polio is being further complicated by a trio of factors: Israel’s unyielding aerial bombardment, now in its eleventh month; draconian restrictions on aid entering the territory; and the scorching summer heat.
In a welcome development, vital equipment for the extensive vaccination drive, scheduled to begin on August 31, has reached the region, signaling a crucial step forward in the efforts of UN agencies to protect the population.
Last week, the Palestinian health ministry in the occupied West Bank reported that a 10-month-old infant from central Gaza, who had not been vaccinated, was found to have contracted polio, as confirmed by laboratory tests in Jordan.
Gaza’s polio-free status, maintained for 25 years, has been disrupted by the discovery of type 2 poliovirus in wastewater samples from June, according to the United Nations, highlighting the need for vigilance and swift action to prevent the spread of the disease.
As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues to rage on, a more sinister threat is lurking in the shadows of Gaza – the highly contagious poliovirus.
Read also: Rotary Facilitates Free Polio Vaccines For 5,000 Kids In Imo
This insidious disease is spreading rapidly, fueled by the region’s crumbling infrastructure, which has left sewage and water sources tainted and teeming with bacteria.
The poliovirus is a merciless foe, targeting the most vulnerable members of society – children under the age of five. If left unchecked, it can wreak havoc on young lives, leaving a trail of deformities, paralysis, and even death in its wake.
In a concerted push to safeguard Gaza’s youngest residents, the WHO and UNICEF are gearing up to vaccinate an estimated 640,000 children against the poliovirus.
With detailed plans in place, this joint endeavor aims to provide a critical shield.A pressing concern still exists, as Israel’s forceful military retaliation to Hamas’s October 7 attack on its southern territory rages on.
This unrelenting conflict poses a significant threat to the vaccination initiative, potentially derailing the fragile hopes of protecting Gaza’s children.
“It’s extremely difficult to undertake a vaccination campaign of this scale and volume under a sky full of air strikes,” said Juliette Touma, director of communications for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.
