WHO Raises Alarm Over Polio Threat in Gaza

The head of the WHO warns that polio has been detected in Gaza, emphasizing that children are at risk if preventative measures aren’t swiftly implemented. Although no cases have been recorded, the persistence of conflict hampers eradication efforts. WHO is sending over a million vaccines to Gaza.

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday that polio had been found in Gaza. He warned that children in the conflict-stricken area could soon be infected if preventative measures aren't taken urgently.

A day after the WHO indicated there were "very likely" polio cases among Gaza's population, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his concerns on social media platform X. He highlighted the human cost of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

"The detection of polio in Gaza is another reminder of the dire conditions the population is facing," Tedros wrote on X. He noted that the conflict hinders efforts to respond to preventable threats such as polio and linked his post to an article published in French newspaper Le Monde. In the piece, Tedros stated that poliovirus was found in Gaza's sewage samples.

Although no polio cases have been recorded, Tedros warned that without immediate action, thousands of unprotected children could be at risk. Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious virus that spreads primarily through the faecal-oral route and can cause paralysis and death, especially in young children.

Thanks to mass vaccination campaigns, polio cases have declined by 99% worldwide since 1988. However, Tedros revealed that the WHO is sending over a million polio vaccines to Gaza to inoculate children in the coming weeks.

(With inputs from agencies.)