Phase 2 Polio Vaccination In Gaza Begins, WHO: This Time It's More Complicated

WHO is vaccinating polio phase 1 children in Gaza from 1-12 September 2024 during a humanitarian break amid the Israeli invasion. (X @UNRWA)

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization or WHO assesses that phase 2 of polio vaccination for hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza Pelestina will be more complicated in its implementation than stage 1.

"The conditions on the ground are really more complicated this time," WHO representative for the Palestinian territories, Rik Peeperkorn said in a video link from Jerusalem, Pelestina, Friday, October 11, quoted from AFP.

Phase 2 vaccinations in Gaza will begin Monday, October 14 next week after stage 1 which will be held from 1-12 September 2024.

The WHO stated that phase 2 vaccination will target around 591,700 children under the age of 10 throughout Gaza.

This polio vaccination was carried out after the first confirmed polio case in Gaza after 25 years.

Peeperkorn stressed full vaccination of at least 90 percent of children in Gaza is important to ensure polio does not spread.

"It is imperative that not only is local humanitarian pauses worthy of respect in the north, but also people are not forced to move from one region to another," he said of Gaza's situation.

UNICEF representative Jean Gough added that the United Nations and WHO had held a number of meetings with Israeli authorities to avoid problems during the phase 2 polio vaccination for children in Gaza.

Gough added that his party had received confirmation from Cogat, the Israeli government agency, regarding the humanitarian break, which would be carried out for polio vaccination.

"We are confident" this will work again, said Gough.

"It's hard, but maybe," he continued.