The mass polio vaccination campaign in Gaza kicked off on Sunday, aiming to protect over 600,000 children from the highly contagious disease. The initiative, led by the U.N. agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) and the World Health Organization (WHO), comes at a critical time as Gaza battles a public health crisis with the resurgence of polio. This effort is a race against time, with limited windows of opportunity to administer the vaccines amid ongoing conflict.
To facilitate the vaccinations, a temporary pause in fighting was coordinated to start at 6 a.m. and last until 2 p.m. on Sunday. UNRWA’s spokeswoman, Louise Wateridge, confirmed this in a message, highlighting the delicate and urgent nature of the campaign. The head of UNRWA, Philippe Lazzarini, emphasized the urgency, calling it a “race against time” to reach Gaza’s children in the coming days, and he urged all involved parties to respect these temporary pauses. The WHO outlined that the campaign aims to immunize 640,000 children under the age of 10 during these short “humanitarian pauses.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that Israel would allow a “humanitarian corridor” for vaccination teams and designate safe areas for administering the vaccines during specific hours. However, Netanyahu made it clear that these pauses are strictly limited in time and geographic scope and do not indicate a broader ceasefire across Gaza.
The vaccination campaign launched in the central regions of Gaza, where more than 200 members of UNRWA’s team administered doses at 28 sites. The urgency of the situation is palpable, with photographs showing lines of young children receiving doses in tents set up for the campaign. Images posted by Gaza’s Health Ministry on Telegram depicted children opening their mouths to receive the vaccine, a simple yet powerful image of hope amidst the chaos.
The Return of Polio in Gaza
Polio is a highly contagious virus that affects the nervous system and can be transmitted through contact with infected saliva or feces. It can be particularly challenging to contain because many infected individuals display no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms, allowing the virus to spread unknowingly. The disease had been largely under control, thanks to the polio vaccine, which has been available since 1955. However, the confluence of war-related factors has led to its reemergence in Gaza. Since the conflict escalated in October, the already fragile water, sanitation, and health infrastructure have been severely damaged, causing a drop in the polio vaccination rate from 99 percent to 86 percent.
In a worrying development, Gaza’s health authorities confirmed in August that an 11-month-old boy had contracted polio — the first case in 25 years. Additional reports suggested that other children were showing symptoms consistent with polio. In July, the virus was detected in six sewage samples from southern and central Gaza, areas where many of the displaced population live in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
Nevin Abu al-Jidyan, the mother of the 11-month-old who contracted polio, shared the heartbreaking reality of her son’s condition. “All his limbs are now paralyzed,” she told The Washington Post from her tent in Deir al-Balah. “The left side is more rigid. He is even unable to bend over. I cannot even help him sit.”
A Symbolic Start
A small number of infants in southern Gaza received the vaccine on Saturday, marking a symbolic start to the broader program. Vaccination is critical to halting the spread of the disease, especially for children under 5, who are most vulnerable. The WHO warns that one in 200 polio infections leads to irreversible paralysis, and among those who are paralyzed, 5 to 10 percent die when their breathing muscles become immobilized.
Key Points to Note
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Urgent Humanitarian Effort: The polio vaccination campaign in Gaza is not just a health initiative; it’s a life-saving mission in the middle of a war zone. With fighting paused only temporarily, the urgency to vaccinate as many children as possible cannot be overstated.
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Humanitarian Corridors and Safety Zones: Israel’s agreement to allow a humanitarian corridor and designated safe areas for vaccination teams highlights the critical need for cooperation, even in times of conflict, to address public health crises.
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Challenges in Containment: Polio spreads easily and often without symptoms, making containment efforts in a densely populated and war-torn area like Gaza especially challenging. The current state of infrastructure only exacerbates these challenges.
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Personal Stories: The impact on families, such as the Abu al-Jidyan family, personalizes the crisis and underscores the dire consequences of failing to control the virus's spread. The paralysis of children like Nevin’s son serves as a stark reminder of the stakes involved.
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Global Response: The involvement of international organizations like UNRWA and WHO demonstrates a global commitment to addressing health emergencies, even in conflict zones. Their work is critical in providing both the resources and expertise needed to combat such outbreaks.
Broader Conflict Context
Meanwhile, the broader conflict continues to claim lives and disrupt efforts to manage the public health situation. The Israel Defense Forces reported recovering the bodies of six hostages from Gaza, including Israeli American Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The bodies were found in an underground tunnel in Rafah, indicating the complexity and danger of the ongoing operations in the region.
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed cautious optimism about reaching a cease-fire deal, stating, “We think we can close the deal; they’ve all said they agree on the principles.” This optimism comes amid staggering casualty figures: at least 40,691 people have been killed and 94,060 injured in Gaza since the conflict began, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel reports that approximately 1,200 of its citizens were killed in Hamas’s October 7 attack, including over 300 soldiers, with 339 soldiers killed in the subsequent military operations in Gaza.
As the vaccination campaign continues, it serves as a beacon of hope in a region grappling with immense challenges. The combined efforts of international agencies, local health workers, and temporary truces highlight the potential for humanity and cooperation, even in the darkest of times. The fight against polio in Gaza is not just a medical battle but a symbol of resilience and the urgent need for peace and stability to protect the most vulnerable—Gaza’s children.
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