“Israel agrees to humanitarian pause for polio vaccination in Gaza”: WHO

Gaza [Palestine], August 30 (ANI): The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that an agreement had been reached with Israel to allow a mass polio vaccination campaign. The initiative will be made possible through humanitarian pauses beginning on September 1.

Notably, Dr Rik Peeperkorn, head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) office for the West Bank and Gaza had announced that the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza would start on September 1.

The UN agencies UNRWA, UNICEF, and WHO plan to vaccinate more than 6,40,000 children in Gaza in two rounds.

Sharing a post on X handle, the United Nations News Service, said, “UN health agency, WHO, alongside partners to start polio vaccination campaign on September 1, says Dr Rik Peeperkorn. Campaign to be conducted in two rounds; vital that it reaches at least 90 per cent coverage in both rounds.”

In another post, the UN News Service said that discussions have been held with Israeli authorities to secure humanitarian pauses of three days’ duration.

“We have had discussions with Israeli authorities and we have agreed to humanitarian pauses… for three days,” the post on X said.

The post added, “I am not going to say this is the ideal way forward. But this is a workable way forward… We have to stop [polio] transmission in Gaza and outside Gaza. Of course, all parties will have to stick to this. We have to make sure that every day, we can do this campaign in this humanitarian pause… It is an ambitious target of 90 per cent, but the teams here are ready for it, we are ready to go”

Notably, the poliovirus was detected in July 2024 in environmental samples from Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. Worryingly, three children presenting with suspected acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), a common symptom of polio, have since been reported in the Gaza Strip.

Polio is a highly contagious virus that is usually caught by ingesting contaminated water or food. Severe cases can lead to paralysis, respiratory problems and death. Many countries have eradicated polio, but the virus festers in situations of poor sanitation and sewage control.