International body urges temporary halt to hostilities in Gaza for administering polio vaccinations to kids
"The campaign can't proceed without avoiding pauses for humanitarian reasons," the World Health Organization (WHO) stated. Furthermore, UNICEF and UN Secretary-General António Guterres also advocated for temporary truces.
As per the Health Ministry, under the control of the radical Islamist group Hamas, the confirmed case was of an unvaccinated ten-month-old infant. Reports suggest that this is the first polio case in a quarter of a century.
The polio virus was discovered in sewage samples in the southern city of Khan Yunis and the heart of the Gaza Strip in July, as per Palestinian and Israeli sources. In early August, the WHO announced its plan to send over a million doses of polio vaccine to the Gaza Strip. As stated by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the detection of the polio virus in the coastal region implies that "the virus is spreading among the population, posing a risk to unvaccinated children."
On July 30, the Health Ministry governed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip declared the Palestinian territory a "polio epidemic region." The authorities attribute the disease outbreak to Israel's military destroying healthcare facilities.
Poliomyelitis, commonly known as infantile paralysis, is a condition triggered by a highly infectious and severe virus that strikes the spinal cord, potentially leading to permanent paralysis in children. Regrettably, there is no known cure for polio, but vaccination can help prevent its transmission.
The European Union, expressing concern over the polio outbreak, has urged for international support to ensure vaccination efforts in the Gaza Strip. The European Union, along with other global health organizations, recognizes the importance of maintaining polio-free status in the region to protect vulnerable children.
