RAMALLAH, Saturday, August 17, 2024 (WAFA) — Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan announced today an extensive polio vaccination campaign for children under the age of 10 in the Gaza Strip, set to commence in the coming days. This initiative will be carried out in collaboration with UNRWA, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization.
During a press conference held today in Al-Bireh, Minister Abu Ramadan detailed the campaign’s structure, which will occur in two phases. The first phase will utilize 1.2 million doses of the type 2 polio vaccine, with an additional 400,000 doses currently being procured.
The Health Minister emphasized the government's commitment to prioritizing this vaccination effort, as part of a comprehensive plan developed in response to recent health challenges.
The urgency of the campaign follows the recent confirmation of a polio case in the Gaza Strip, specifically in Deir al-Balah. The patient, a 10-month-old child, had not received any vaccinations and was diagnosed with a vaccine-derived strain of the polio virus after testing in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
Abu Ramadan highlighted that the presence of a single polio case could indicate many other undetected cases, as polio can manifest in mild symptoms such as a cold or fever, with only a fraction displaying full-blown symptoms of the disease. The Ministry has so far recorded three suspected cases across three governorates, one of which has been confirmed positive.
The Minister also pointed out that the ongoing Israeli aggression has exacerbated Gaza's health crisis. According to international organizations, the aggression has led to a dire situation characterized by inadequate sanitation, uncollected waste, and a shortage of safe drinking water—conditions that are conducive to the spread of diseases like polio and hepatitis A.
Minister Abu Ramadan appealed to the international community and health organizations to urgently intervene to halt the Israeli assault on Gaza, improve on-ground conditions to protect public health, and support the rebuilding of essential water, sanitation, and waste management systems.
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