Gaza — A 10-month-old baby has been partially paralyzed after contracting polio in Gaza, marking the first polio case in the region in 25 years, according to United Nations officials.
The baby, who was unvaccinated, is now in stable condition after developing paralysis in one leg.
The re-emergence of polio in Gaza comes as the territory enters its 11th month of war, which has disrupted child vaccination programs and severely damaged water and sanitation systems.
The World Health Organization (WHO) detected type 2 poliovirus in samples collected from Gaza's wastewater in June, raising concerns about the potential for further outbreaks.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his grave concern over the situation and confirmed that efforts are underway to launch a vaccination campaign in the coming weeks.
“Hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza are at risk,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
In an effort to contain the spread of the virus, the United Nations has been advocating for a week-long pause in fighting to facilitate a polio vaccination campaign targeting more than 640,000 children under the age of 10. For the campaign to succeed, Guterres highlighted the need for the transport of vaccines and necessary equipment, the entry of polio experts into Gaza, and the ensured safety of both health workers and civilians.
The World Health Organization has approved the release of 1.6 million doses of the polio vaccine. UNICEF is coordinating the delivery of these vaccines, along with cold storage units, and UNRWA’s medical teams will administer the vaccines upon their arrival in Gaza.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russel described the re-emergence of the virus as "another sobering reminder of how chaotic, desperate, and dangerous the situation has become."
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have reported that since the beginning of the war, 282,126 vials of the polio vaccine, sufficient for 2,821,260 doses, have been sent to Gaza. In the coming weeks, an additional 60,000 vaccines are expected to be delivered to vaccinate over one million children. The IDF stated that the entry of vaccines and medical teams to Gaza is being facilitated by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), ensuring the necessary support for epidemic prevention.
This vaccination campaign represents a critical step in protecting the health of Gaza’s children.