Round 560 000 youngsters beneath ten years outdated have been vaccinated in opposition to polio through the first spherical of an emergency vaccination marketing campaign performed in three phases from 1-12 September 2024 within the Gaza Strip.
The 12-day marketing campaign offered novel oral polio vaccine kind 2 (nOPV2) to 558 963 youngsters, following meticulous planning and coordination. This concerned the usage of an in depth community of groups, vaccinating at chosen fastened websites at well being amenities and outreach posts. Cell and transit groups actively reached out to households dwelling in shelter properties, tents, and camps for the displaced, alongside group employees participating households to boost consciousness forward of and through the marketing campaign. For every section, an area-specific humanitarian pause of 9 hours each day was agreed to make sure the security of communities and well being employees, and allow vaccination efforts.
“Well being and group employees have proven unbelievable resilience, finishing up this marketing campaign at unprecedented scale and velocity beneath the hardest circumstances in Gaza. Swift motion by the World Polio Eradication Initiative—from the second the virus was detected to the launch of the vaccination marketing campaign—speaks to the effectiveness of the polio programme. In areas the place humanitarian pauses happened, the marketing campaign introduced not simply vaccines, however moments of calm. As we put together for the following spherical in 4 weeks, we’re hopeful these pauses will maintain, as a result of this marketing campaign has clearly proven the world what’s doable when peace is given an opportunity,” mentioned Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Consultant for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).
“It was crucial this bold marketing campaign was carried out rapidly, safely and successfully to guard youngsters within the Gaza Strip and neighbouring international locations from the life-altering poliovirus,” mentioned Jean Gough, UNICEF Particular Consultant within the State of Palestine. “The progress made on this first spherical is encouraging, however the job is way from achieved. We’re poised to complete the duty and name on all concerned to make sure we are able to accomplish that within the subsequent spherical in 4 weeks’ time, for the sake of youngsters in all places.”
Companions in any respect ranges acknowledge widespread operational challenges confronted throughout these efforts, together with devastated infrastructure, from well being amenities to roads, restricted educated healthcare employees, entry points on account of insecurity, restricted gasoline for mills used to securely retailer vaccines and freeze ice packs, and fixed inhabitants actions. Nevertheless, these points have been addressed in a well timed method, with the important thing help of the Palestinian Ministry of Well being and UNRWA, to allow deliberate vaccination actions.
Regardless of these challenges and the circumstances that households within the Gaza Strip have endured over the previous 11 months, households flocked to well being amenities to get their youngsters vaccinated. This may be attributed to historically constructive well being searching for behaviour among the many Palestinian folks and an impactful marketing campaign to boost consciousness and mobilize the general public.
The unique goal for the marketing campaign was 640 000 youngsters, estimated within the absence of an correct survey, which can have been an over-estimate, because the inhabitants continues to maneuver from place to position, and individuals are fleeing and being killed as a result of ongoing hostilities. Throughout the marketing campaign, educated monitoring groups have been deployed to supervise vaccination efforts. As subsequent steps, an extra 65 unbiased displays are being deployed to cross-check the proportion of youngsters vaccinated throughout the Gaza Strip to independently assess the extent of protection achieved within the first spherical. They want protected, unimpeded entry to allow them to go to households, markets, transit factors, and well being amenities to verify youngsters for the outstanding purple dye marked on their little finger when they’re vaccinated. These efforts will present an unbiased measure of the share of vaccination protection achieved and causes for any unvaccinated youngsters.
A second spherical of the marketing campaign will observe, ideally inside 4 weeks, to supply a second dose of nOPV2 to youngsters in Gaza to cease the outbreak and stop its worldwide unfold.
To repeat this bold intervention, attain sufficient youngsters, and efficiently cease additional transmission of the poliovirus, WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA are calling on all events to the battle to decide to one other spherical of humanitarian pauses, with unimpeded entry to youngsters in areas that want particular coordination.
Finally, we’d like a long-lasting ceasefire as all households within the Gaza Strip want peace to allow them to start to heal and rebuild their lives.
Notes to editors:
The marketing campaign was carried out as a part of an pressing and sturdy response to the affirmation of circulating variant poliovirus kind 2 (cVDPV2) in Gaza, which was discovered within the setting in July 2024, and in a 10-month-old youngster in August 2024. It was performed by the Palestinian Ministry of Well being (MOH), in collaboration with the World Well being Group (WHO), the United Nations Youngsters’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Aid and Works Company for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and companions. The World Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) members, donors, WHO Member States and companions in oPt, together with as a part of the Well being Cluster, performed a key function in facilitating the marketing campaign.
The marketing campaign kicked off utilizing 473 groups, together with 230 cell groups, and 143 vaccination websites, in central Gaza, adopted by 91 fastened websites, complemented by 384 cell groups in southern Gaza. It concluded in northern Gaza, reaching youngsters via 127 groups at fastened websites and 104 cell groups. Mounted websites comprised hospitals, medical factors, major well being centres, momentary studying areas, colleges, and meals and water distribution factors. Moreover, 749 social mobilizers have been educated and deployed to have interaction communities, earlier than and through the marketing campaign to nudge households to vaccinate their youngsters and deal with considerations.
Novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) is a polio vaccine getting used to cease transmission of variant poliovirus kind 2 (cVDPV2), at present essentially the most prevalent type of the variant poliovirus. nOPV2 is protected and efficient and gives safety in opposition to paralysis and group transmission. It’s the vaccine globally advisable for variant kind 2 poliovirus outbreaks – the kind that has been present in Gaza.
