Gaza Conflict Threatens Polio Vaccination Efforts

United Nations officials expressed concern that the ongoing Israeli offensive in northern Gaza could disrupt the second phase of the polio vaccination campaign. Despite humanitarian pauses in fighting, efforts to vaccinate children are threatened by military actions and evacuation orders from Israeli forces.

United Nations officials have expressed serious concerns over the potential impact of Israel's military operations and evacuation directives in northern Gaza on the forthcoming phase of a polio vaccination campaign. The initiative is critical following a rare polio case that partially paralyzed a baby in the region last August.

Aid organizations successfully held the initial round of vaccinations last month under similar challenging conditions. The continuation of the vaccination campaign relies on planned humanitarian pauses amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, aimed at reaching hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children.

Despite these efforts, evacuation orders from Israeli military forces continue to pose significant threats to healthcare facilities and patients, as stated by WHO and UNICEF representatives. Fresh initiatives to reach affected clinic patients are underway, highlighting the struggle to conduct what should be standard humanitarian operations.

(With inputs from agencies.)