Gaza: UNICEF targets 560,000 children in second round of polio vaccination

The UN-led polio vaccination campaign in Gaza will enter its second phase on October 14, targeting around 590,000 children under 10 years old, announced UNICEF chief Catherine Russell.

This follows the successful initial phase that vaccinated approximately 560,000 children in early September 2024. The campaign is crucial in preventing polio’s re-emergence in the Gaza Strip, which had been polio-free for 25 years.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, and UNRWA are collaborating to deliver the vaccines. With the support of health workers and community outreach teams, the campaign strives to reach eligible children across the Gaza Strip.

“Area-specific humanitarian pauses have been agreed,” Russell said. “It’s critical that these pauses are respected by all parties. Without them, it is impossible to vaccinate the children.”

She added: “With the additional vaccine equipment & cold boxes that arrived yesterday, UNICEF is ready to deliver & vaccinate children to stop the transmission of polio. The success of the first round shows that when agreements are respected, we can get the job done.”

In the first phase, over 187,000 children under 10 were vaccinated in central Gaza, exceeding initial targets. The success was attributed to population movement and expanded coverage in areas outside the humanitarian pause zone.

Ensuring children’s access to life-saving vaccines is more vital than ever, given the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis. The campaign’s objective is to protect children from the spread of circulating variant type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2) and achieve high vaccination coverage.