WHO Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza Exceeds Expectations

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday, September 3rd, that their emergency polio vaccination campaign in Gaza had exceeded expectations in its initial days.

Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO's representative for the Palestinian territories, reported that over 161,000 children had received their first dose of the vaccine within the first two days of the campaign. This figure surpassed the initial target set by the organization.

"That surpassed the target we set," Peeperkorn stated to reporters in Geneva via video link from Gaza.

The campaign comes amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has resulted in widespread destruction and displacement of residents. With over 2.4 million people forced to flee their homes and seek refuge in often cramped and unsanitary conditions, the risk of disease outbreaks has significantly increased.

Following the first confirmed case of polio in Gaza in 25 years, the WHO launched the large-scale vaccination drive on Sunday, August 31st. The campaign aims to fully vaccinate over 640,000 children in the besieged territory, which has been devastated by nearly 11 months of war.

Peeperkorn emphasized the critical importance of achieving at least 90% vaccination coverage to prevent the spread of polio. This highly contagious disease primarily affects children under five years old and can cause deformities, paralysis, and even death.