Escalating Dispute in the Middle East Region - Temporary truce in Gaza facilitating polio vaccinations
"The United Nations has arranged for a series of temporary truces in the heated region of Gaza Strip, allowing for the mass immunization of countless children against polio. Commencing Sunday, Israel has consented to daily truces, as stated by the UN. In three distinct areas of the coastline, hostilities will pause for three days each, stretching from morning till evening. In accordance with the UN and World Health Organization (WHO), this agreement has been made with the Israeli administration overseeing Palestinian matters, known as COGAT.
As per Peeperkorn, the vaccination drive will transpire in three stages, starting the first week of September. The first phase will occur in central Gaza Strip for three days, followed by southern Gaza Strip, and ultimately in northern Gaza Strip. A potential fourth day may be necessary in each region. The truces will commence at 6:00 AM and conclude at 3:00 PM each day.
Peeperkorn continues, 'Adherence to this arrangement is imperative. Failure to do so will make it difficult to execute the campaign effectively, as achieving the required 90% coverage becomes nearly impossible.' Approximately 90% vaccine coverage is essential, as per WHO estimates, to prevent a polio outbreak in the region. Over 640,000 children require protection in the Gaza Strip after the detection of polio viruses in the wastewater.
UN decisively organized vaccination for almost 640,000 children below ten years of age, divided into two rounds, in response to the polio virus detection. Already, vaccines for 1.26 million people have been transported to the Gaza Strip via Kerem Shalom crossing. UN representatives have advocated for truces to allow for vaccinations to be administered.
The European Union also expressed concern, emphasizing Gaza's polio-free status for 25 years and the recent discovery of the virus. The EU foreign ministers demanded that Israel facilitate the ceasefires required for the immunization campaign. The German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, mentioned working in collaboration with local partners to achieve the truce.
The campaign in the partially destroyed Gaza Strip will combine mobile teams and vaccination centers. There are 392 centers where families can receive vaccines, and nearly 300 mobile teams will be dispatched to cater to disadvantaged individuals. Over 2,100 medical personnel will be involved, followed by a second round of vaccination four weeks post the first dose.
Several children in the Gaza Strip have missed their vaccinations since the war that initiated after the Hamas attack in October last year. Poorer hygienic conditions in the coastal strip, with many internally displaced individuals living in close quarters and clean water scarcity, could lead to an epidemic. Thousands of sick Palestinians need to be evacuated."
The United Nations appeals to the WHO and [WHO] to ensure the adherence of the truce agreements to facilitate the polio vaccination campaign. Despite the recent detection of polio viruses, Gaza has maintained a polio-free status for 25 years, and it is crucial for [WHO] to prevent a potential outbreak.
