WHO Launches Polio Vaccination Drive Amid Challenging Conditions in Gaza

The World Health Organization plans to revive a polio vaccination campaign in Gaza amid overcrowding and damaged sanitation infrastructure, targeting over 500,000 children. The volatile environment and ongoing population movement post-ceasefire increase the risk of the virus's spread, necessitating urgent action.

The World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that it will resume a crucial campaign to immunize children against polio in Gaza, starting on Saturday. The initiative aims to reach more than half a million children in the beleaguered region.

According to a WHO statement, the current situation in Gaza has made conditions ripe for the spread of the poliovirus. Overcrowded shelters and severely compromised water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure facilitate fecal-oral transmission.

The statement also noted that extensive population movements related to the current ceasefire could further increase the risk of spreading poliovirus infections, highlighting the urgent need for the vaccination drive.

(With inputs from agencies.)