In the Gaza Strip: over 161,000 children vaccinated in just two days

In the Gaza Strip: over 161,000 children vaccinated in just two days

gaza (dpa) - In the middle of the persistent humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, the health of children is the focus of an important vaccination campaign against children's paralysis, also known as a polio. In just two days, over 161,000 children under the age of ten have been vaccinated, which exceeds the expectations of the health authorities. The World Health Organization (WHO) originally hoped to reach 156,000 children, but the number shows how urgently this initiative is.

The overcrowding of refugee accommodation and the continuous displacement of the population have led to more children living in this endangered area than previously assumed. Many families endanger the security of their children and a healthy development by the air strikes in the affected regions, in particular through threats of Israel. The WHO has also announced that the vaccination campaign originally set to three days is extended by an additional day to ensure that as many children are achieved as possible.

expanded vaccination measures and threats

After the first phase of the campaign, the focus is on the south of the Gaza Strip, where another 340,000 children are to be vaccinated. Afterwards, it is 150,000 children in the north of the area. A decisive aspect of this campaign is the planned second dose, which must be administered for all vaccinated children in four weeks. This is essential to ensure persistent protection, especially in view of the recently identified polio case in the region.

Not too long ago, the first case of Polio has been documented in the Gaza Strip for 25 years. An eleven-month-old baby was tested positively, and it is a vaccine-derived poliovirus (CVDPV Type 2), which was created in the unworthy hygienic conditions under hundreds of thousands of displaced people. This not only makes the vaccination campaign important, but also urgently, since the WHO emphasizes that more than 90 percent of children in the region have to be vaccinated in order to counteract further outbreaks.

The dangers caused by polio are clear and not only affect the families concerned, but the entire community in the Gaza Strip. The influence of a polio epidemic could have devastating effects on the already fundamentally tense health infrastructure of the region. Against this background, the current initiative is both a preventive measure and a sign of hope for the parents and children of the Gaza Strip, who live in a climate of constant uncertainty.

The commitment of the health authorities and international organizations is a vital step to stop the spread of Polio and to protect children's health at a time increasing uncertainty. With the rapidly implemented vaccination campaign, not only the prospect of healthy childhood is improved for many, but also promoting trust in the health system.