Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that 547,848 children under the age of 10 have been vaccinated since the launch of the new round of the polio immunization campaign in the Gaza Strip on 22 February 2025, representing more than 92% of the total targeted children, out of 591,000.
According to Oman News Agency, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory Dr. Rik Peeperkorn explained during the bi-weekly press conference of the United Nations agencies in Geneva that this campaign is part of efforts to stop the spread of the polio virus. This decision came after environmental samples collected from Deir Al-Balah and Khan Yunis in December 2024 and January 2025 confirmed the presence of the virus.
Dr. Peeperkorn noted that two previous vaccination campaigns, conducted in September and October 2024, successfully immunized more than 95% of the targeted children. However, vaccination teams faced significant challenges in reaching certain areas in the center, north, and south of Gaza due to security restrictions and military operations.
He highlighted that about 7,000 children in the Jabalia, Beit Lahia, and Beit Hanoun areas missed out on vaccination during the second round in 2024 because of the lack of humanitarian truces. This led to continued areas with insufficient immune coverage, allowing the virus to spread. Nonetheless, the recent ceasefire has provided health workers with better access, increasing the chances of success for the current campaign to immunize all children.
Dr. Peeperkorn emphasized the importance of sustainable peace, not only for the polio eradication campaign but also to ensure vaccines against other preventable diseases are available, enabling all children to build strong immunity.
Regarding the general health situation in the Gaza Strip, Dr. Peeperkorn reported that medical evacuations are ongoing, with 889 patients, including 335 children, evacuated through the Rafah crossing between 1-24 February 2025. This brings the total number of patients evacuated since October 2023 to 6,295, including 4,640 children.
He stressed the urgent need to expand medical evacuation corridors, as between 12,000-14,000 people urgently need evacuation.
The health sector in Gaza has suffered total losses estimated at about USD 6.3 billion due to the massive destruction of the health infrastructure and the loss of medical human resources, including workers who were killed, injured, or forcibly displaced.
Dr. Peeperkorn highlighted the sharp decline in productivity in the health sector, with the loss of more than 1,700 health workers, leading to economic losses estimated at about USD 2.7 billion.
The UN official underscored that the health situation in the Gaza Strip remains critical. He called for strengthening the humanitarian response, ensuring the continuation of vaccination campaigns and health services, and supporting the urgent reconstruction of the health sector in Gaza.