WHO surpasses target, vaccinates 161K kids vs. polio in Gaza

GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday said 161,000 children in Gaza got polio vaccination over two days, surpassing the agency's target of 156,500 kids.

Citing preliminary data, spokesperson Richard Peeperkorn told a UN press briefing in Geneva that about 74,340 children were vaccinated on day two of the vaccination campaign, in addition to day one's over 86,600.

Peeperkorn said day three of the campaign is ongoing and the majority of remaining children in central Gaza should be vaccinated by the end of round one.

He said coordinated missions are ongoing in areas in central Gaza that are outside the agreed pauses to ensure no child is missed, as the zones designated for the campaign do not include the entire enclave.

He said Gaza had a high level of vaccination coverage across the population before Oct. 7; however, due to the impact of the conflict, routine immunization coverage for the second dose of inactivated polio vaccine dropped from 99 percent in 2022 to less than 90 percent in the first quarter of 2024, "increasing the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases to children, including polio."

"WHO considers there to be a high risk of variant poliovirus type 2 within Gaza, and internationally, given gaps in children's immunity due to disruptions in routine vaccination, a new birth cohort, the decimation of the health system, constant population displacement, malnutrition and severely damaged water and sanitation systems," he said.

The spokesperson also said the campaign is progressing well, with no significant security issues reported so far.

Following the completion of the first doses, the second dose will be administered after four weeks. (PNA)