Headline: Gaza: Polio could spread unless vaccines reach war-torn north
Source: The Guardian
Date: August 5, 2022
Summary:
The article reports on the urgent need to vaccinate children in the northern part of the Gaza Strip against polio after an outbreak of the disease was confirmed in neighboring Israel. Health officials warn that the virus could spread rapidly in the densely populated and war-torn area, where many children have missed routine vaccinations due to conflict and disruption.
The Israeli Ministry of Health confirmed a case of vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) in an unvaccinated 3-year-old girl in Jerusalem, raising concerns that the virus may have spread to other parts of the region. VDPV2 is a rare but potentially dangerous form of polio that can occur when the weakened live virus used in the oral polio vaccine (OPV) mutates and regains its ability to cause paralysis.
Gaza, which is home to around 2.3 million people, has been under Israeli blockade for over 15 years, restricting the movement of goods and people. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, has also led to damage and disruption to healthcare infrastructure.
According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), only 24% of children in northern Gaza have received three doses of the polio vaccine, the minimum recommended for protection. This low vaccination rate is due to a combination of missed doses, vaccine hesitancy, and limited access to healthcare services.
Health officials are working to scale up vaccination efforts in Gaza, but there are challenges in reaching all areas of the territory. Some areas are densely populated and difficult to access, while others are under Israeli military control.
The article emphasizes the urgency of the situation and calls for international support to ensure that all children in Gaza are vaccinated against polio. It also highlights the need for sustained efforts to strengthen the healthcare system in the territory to prevent future outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Gaza: Polio could spread unless vaccines reach war-torn north
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