Emergency Polio Vaccination Campaign Launched in Gaza Strip to Combat Outbreak

The Gaza Strip is facing an ongoing emergency polio outbreak, prompting a mass vaccination campaign aimed at protecting children from the threat of poliovirus. The campaign, scheduled from February 22 to February 26, 2025, seeks to vaccinate over 591,000 children under the age of 10. This critical effort follows the detection of the poliovirus in wastewater samples, signaling that the virus continues to circulate in the environment and poses a serious risk to children in the region.

Pockets of low or no immunity within the population present a significant opportunity for the virus to spread and cause illness. The current conditions in Gaza, particularly overcrowded shelters and severely damaged water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, further exacerbate the potential for fecal-oral transmission. The ongoing conflict and population movement, especially in the wake of the recent ceasefire, increase the likelihood of further spread of the virus.

This new vaccination campaign follows two successful rounds conducted in September and October 2024, which reached over 95% of the targeted children. Despite this success, the poliovirus remains a persistent threat, as environmental samples taken from Gaza in December 2024 and January 2025 confirm continued virus transmission. These new samples, collected in Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, reveal a genetically linked strain to the one detected in July 2024. This demonstrates that although progress has been made, additional efforts are necessary to eliminate the virus from the environment.

Health workers in Gaza have faced significant challenges in their vaccination efforts due to the ongoing conflict. Many areas in central, north, and south Gaza were difficult to access, requiring special coordination and humanitarian pauses to allow for the safe delivery of vaccines. In some areas, such as Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun, approximately 7,000 children missed vaccination during the second round due to these challenges. However, with the recent ceasefire, health workers now have better access to these areas, making it possible to reach children who were previously missed.

Despite the absence of new polio cases since the paralysis of a ten-month-old child in August 2024, the presence of the virus in the environment remains a pressing concern. To address this, the upcoming vaccination campaign aims to reach all children under the age of 10, including those who missed the previous rounds, to close immunity gaps and halt the outbreak. The use of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) is crucial in preventing the virus from spreading further and ending the outbreak.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and other partners, is leading the vaccination campaign. WHO and UNICEF emphasize that polio vaccines are safe, and there is no limit to how many times a child can receive the vaccine. Each additional dose provides increased protection, especially during an active outbreak.

In addition to the immediate vaccination effort, an additional round of polio vaccinations is planned for April 2025. The goal is to ensure that every child is protected, and to ultimately end the poliovirus circulation in Gaza and prevent its spread to neighboring regions.

As the region continues to face significant challenges, WHO, UNICEF, and their partners welcome the recent ceasefire and call for a lasting peace that will allow for continued health interventions and recovery. The urgent need for a sustained ceasefire to support vaccination campaigns is crucial for protecting children and securing a polio-free future for Gaza and beyond.