Over 187,000 Children Vaccinated in Central Gaza as Polio Campaign Exceeds Target

Exceeding the initial target of 157,000, the campaign expanded to include areas outside the humanitarian pause zone due to population movements.

Over 187,000 children under ten were vaccinated with the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in central Gaza during the first phase of a two-round polio vaccination campaign, held from 1–3 September 2024. Exceeding the initial target of 157,000, the campaign expanded to include areas outside the humanitarian pause zone due to population movements.

Polio vaccination will continue at four large health facilities in central Gaza to ensure no child is missed. Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, praised the efforts: "Thousands of children have accessed vaccines despite the difficult conditions they and their families have faced over the past 11 months."

The first phase was executed by 513 teams, including over 2,180 health and outreach workers. Vaccination was offered at 143 fixed sites such as hospitals, camps for displaced people, and mobile teams visited hard-to-reach areas. Special missions were conducted in insecure regions, like Al-Maghazi and Al-Bureij, to reach children who couldn't access vaccination sites.

The campaign will continue in southern Gaza from 5–8 September, targeting 340,000 children, followed by a third phase in northern Gaza from 9–11 September. To stop the outbreak and prevent the international spread of polio, at least 90% vaccination coverage is required during each round.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA, and other partners, aims to vaccinate around 640,000 children across Gaza in two rounds of the campaign. Dr. Peeperkorn emphasized the importance of continued peace for the health and well-being of Gaza's population, urging parties to maintain humanitarian pauses as the campaign progresses.

 

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