Polio Vaccination Campaign Launches in Gaza

A polio vaccination campaign for 640,000 children in Gaza commenced as part of a humanitarian effort amid ongoing conflict, with the World Health Organization (WHO) providing 1.2 million doses. This initiative follows the first reported polio case in Gaza in 25 years, involving a 10-month-old boy who is now paralyzed, indicating potential undetected infections among others. The campaign will proceed during limited pauses in fighting, coordinated with Israeli authorities, and aims to vaccinate children under 10 over three days. The operation faces significant challenges due to damaged healthcare infrastructure and widespread displacement of the population. The WHO has warned that both Israeli military and Hamas must respect these humanitarian pauses to facilitate the vaccination efforts. Additional doses will be delivered as part of an emergency campaign to combat the resurgence of polio in the region.