WHO launches second Polio vaccination drive in Gaza amid urgent calls for humanitarian pauses
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the start of the second round of an emergency polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, targeting over 591,000 children under ten with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the start of the second round of an emergency polio vaccination campaign in Gaza, targeting over 591,000 children under ten with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).
According to the World Health Organization report on their official website, the campaign, beginning on October 14, 2024, follows a successful first round that vaccinated 95% of eligible children, despite severe challenges posed by ongoing conflict and infrastructure devastation.
The second phase is critical in efforts to halt the spread of poliovirus in Gaza, where an outbreak was detected in July 2024. WHO officials stressed the importance of vaccinating at least 90% of children in every community to interrupt the virus’ transmission. Vitamin A will be co-administered alongside the polio vaccine to boost children’s immunity.
The campaign is being coordinated by the Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA, and other partners. Vaccination teams will once again reach children through a combination of health facilities, mobile units, and outreach posts, ensuring that families in shelters, camps, and hard-to-reach areas are covered. The first round showed that “overwhelming logistical challenges — including operating amid devastated infrastructure and constant population movements — can be overcome through an extraordinarily resilient and dedicated health workforce,” WHO noted.
However, WHO and UNICEF raised concerns about the continued need for humanitarian pauses to ensure vaccination teams can operate safely. “Vaccination teams must be protected and allowed to conduct the campaigns safely. We urge all parties to ensure their protection, and that of health facilities and children,” WHO reiterated, highlighting the increased difficulty of access due to new evacuation orders in northern Gaza.
More than 1.6 million doses of the vaccine, along with essential cold storage equipment, have been delivered in preparation for the two rounds. The WHO emphasized that “a humanitarian pause will be a prerequisite” for success, particularly to reach children in areas that were missed in the first round.
With over 800 social mobilizers and a robust outreach strategy involving radio, SMS, and digital channels, the campaign seeks to raise awareness and ensure every child receives the critical second dose. As WHO and its partners push forward, the global health community remains focused on mitigating the outbreak’s impact in one of the world’s most challenging humanitarian settings.
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