UNRWA's Support for Gaza Children Receiving Polio Vaccination

The second round of emergency polio vaccination (commonly known as infantile paralysis) campaign is set to begin on October 14, 2024, in the Gaza Strip. This campaign aims to administer the second dose of the new oral polio vaccine to 591,500 children under the age of 10. The World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that a temporary humanitarian ceasefire is an essential prerequisite for the success of the second round of vaccination.

Prior to this, the first round of the vaccination campaign successfully took place from September 1 to September 12, 2024, covering 559,161 children with a coverage rate of approximately 95%. Like the first round, the second round will be conducted in three phases, each involving three days of vaccinations followed by one day for catch-up shots. Notably, children need to complete two doses of the vaccine to effectively block the transmission of the poliovirus. To ensure vaccination effectiveness, communities and neighborhoods must achieve a vaccination rate of at least 90% among children. Additionally, vitamin A supplementation will be provided concurrently to enhance the overall immunity of children aged 2 to 9.

Collaborative Efforts for Efficient Advancement

This campaign is being jointly organized by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and other partners, aimed at addressing the polio outbreak detected in the Gaza Strip on July 16, 2024, and preventing further virus transmission.

To ensure the smooth conduct of the vaccination activities, meticulous planning, coordination, and implementation have been undertaken by all parties involved. Extensive vaccination teams will provide vaccination services at designated health facilities and mobile vaccination points. Mobile teams will reach families living in shelters, tents, and internally displaced persons camps to ensure that all children can receive the vaccine. Additionally, local teams will focus on those children who did not participate in the first round of vaccination.

Experiences from the first round of vaccination demonstrate that despite significant challenges posed by damaged infrastructure and population movement, successful implementation can still be achieved as long as the parties adhere to the planned humanitarian ceasefire, supported by a resilient and dedicated healthcare workforce and the community's strong demand for polio vaccination.

To raise awareness of the importance of receiving the second dose of the vaccine, over 800 community mobilizers will inform residents about the vaccination dates and locations. Furthermore, radio broadcasts, text messaging services, and all digital channels in Gaza will assist in disseminating related information throughout the duration of the campaign until the conclusion of the current round of vaccinations.

Logistical and planning requirements for the second round of vaccination have been further streamlined, including training for health and community workers, ensuring adequate supplies, independent monitoring personnel to record data, and designating coverage areas for the mobile teams.

Humanitarian Ceasefire is Crucial

However, a temporary humanitarian ceasefire remains a fundamental prerequisite for the successful implementation of the second round of vaccination. This is essential not only to ensure that all polio workers can operate in a safe environment but also to guarantee that communities and families can confidently vaccinate their children.

Covering children located outside the humanitarian pause areas remains a significant challenge for this round of vaccination. This requires coordination and approvals from all parties to enable project supervision and monitoring, ensuring that all children can be vaccinated.

The WHO and UNICEF urgently reiterate their call for all conflict parties to implement the necessary temporary humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza to ensure the smooth conduct of the second round of emergency polio vaccination campaign.