The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has issued a warning regarding the potential repercussions if over 119,000 children in northern Gaza do not receive their second dose of the polio vaccine by mid-November.
In a statement, Rosalia Bollen, a Communication Specialist for UNICEF, said, "Failure to meet this deadline will lead to a rapid decline in immunity among those Gaza children who have already received the first dose."
The three United Nations agencies participating in the vaccination initiative—namely the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and UNICEF—along with the Palestinian Ministry of Health, have been compelled to postpone the commencement of the third and final phase of the second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the northern region.
Bollen further noted that the ongoing bombardment has left health workers fatigued. In recent weeks, hundreds have lost their lives, and many more have sustained injuries.
Numerous hospitals have been attacked and besieged, creating an environment that is not suitable for initiating this phase of the vaccination campaign in Gaza.
The first round of vaccinations, conducted from September 1 to 12, successfully immunized 559,161 children, representing approximately 95 percent of the targeted population.
The second round commenced in central and southern Gaza on October 14 but was unable to reach the children in the northern area.
She warned that around 120,000 children in Gaza are at "high risk," emphasizing that this situation not only endangers those children aged ten and under but also poses a threat to children in the broader region.
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