- विज्ञापन -
New York: The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) announced an emergency response to a polio outbreak in the Gaza Strip, with a mass vaccination campaign set to take place from February 22 to 26. The initiative will provide the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to over 591,000 children under the age of 10, aiming to protect them from polio following the recent detection of the virus in wastewater samples, indicating its ongoing presence in the area.
The organizations highlighted that low immunity levels among certain groups allow the virus to continue spreading, posing a risk to children. The challenging conditions in Gaza, such as overcrowding in shelters and damaged water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, facilitate the fecal-oral transmission of the virus. Additionally, increased population movement due to the current ceasefire may further contribute to the virus’s spread.
This vaccination campaign aims to immunize all children under 10, including those who may have missed previous vaccinations, to close immunity gaps and eliminate the outbreak. The oral polio vaccine is expected to help curb the virus’s transmission. Another round of polio vaccinations is planned for April. The Palestinian Ministry of Health will lead the campaign, with support from WHO, UNICEF, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and other partners.
