The final phase of a two-phase polio vaccination campaign will continue in northern Gaza on Saturday, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
Second phase already postponed to October by UN agencies due to intense Israeli bombardment, mass displacement, and lack of access in the area.
Gaza recorded First case of polio in 25 years in August, leaving a boy paralyzed and forcing the program to be implemented.
Vaccinations are expected to continue as 15 humanitarian organizations and the United Nations described the situation in northern Gaza as “apocalyptic” nearly a month after Israel’s ground offensive began.
The WHO said a humanitarian pause in the fighting had been agreed to allow vaccination operations to restart in Gaza City.
Some 15,000 children under 10 years old in northern Gaza towns, such as Jabalia, Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun, “remain inaccessible” and will be missed in the vaccination campaign, the agency said. affect its effectiveness.
WHO has set a target of giving 119,000 children in the region a second dose of oral polio vaccine.
The agency added that achieving this target is “currently unlikely due to access restrictions”.
The first round of the vaccine campaign successfully reached 559,000 children under 10 years old in three phases in southern, central and northern Gaza from September 1 to 12, including “pauses” humanitarian” locally agreed upon by Israeli and Palestinian groups.
However, the area covered by the latest humanitarian pause “has been significantly reduced” compared to the first round of vaccinations and is now limited to Gaza City, according to WHO.
From the start of the polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, health experts have emphasized that delays in administering the second dose could jeopardize collective efforts to stop the transmission of the disease. This potentially fatal infectious disease.
To prevent transmission, at least 90% of children need to receive a minimum of two doses.
The United Nations human rights chief said last week that the “darkest moment” of the war in Gaza is taking place in the north of the territory.
Hundreds of people are believed to have been killed since the Israeli army launched a ground offensive in Beit Lahia as well as neighboring Jabalia and Beit Hanoun on October 6, citing its actions against the regrouping Hamas militants.
WHO said at least 100,000 people were forced to evacuate from northern Gaza towards Gaza City for safety.
A joint statement by United Nations agencies, including the WHO, released on Friday, said the situation was “apocalyptic”, with the entire Palestinian population in the area “at risk of death from disease, famine and violence”.
The United Nations estimates that about 100,000 residents are still in dire conditions, lacking food, water and medical supplies.
USA warned Israel this week immediately increase humanitarian aid to Gaza as a measure deadline is approaching to increase aid or face cuts in US military aid. The US envoy to the United Nations said on Tuesday that Israel’s words “must be followed by action”, which “is not happening”.
Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the group’s attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which left about 1,200 people dead and 251 others taken hostage.
According to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, more than 43,160 people have been killed in Gaza since then.
