UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has expressed grave concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, describing the situation as a “humanitarian freefall.” The coastal enclave has recently reported its first case of polio in years, with an unvaccinated 10-month-old child in Deir al-Balah testing positive for the potentially fatal disease. In response, Guterres has called for a seven-day pause in fighting to facilitate the delivery of 1.6 million doses of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to Gaza, with the aim of preventing the spread of variant type 2 poliovirus (cVDPV2).
The poliovirus was first detected in Gaza in July, and the vaccination campaign is set to start at the end of August and September. The Palestinian Ministry of Health, along with WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA, and other partners, will work to provide vaccinations to over 640,000 children under the age of ten. The UN emphasizes the urgent need for a high vaccination coverage rate to prevent the spread of polio in Gaza, where healthcare services have been severely impacted by the ongoing conflict.
The situation in Gaza is dire, with over 40,000 people killed by Israeli airstrikes and other attacks since October 2023. Only 16 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are partially functioning, and the destruction of wastewater treatment plants has led to contaminated water flooding the streets. The lack of adequate healthcare infrastructure has resulted in a range of health issues, including respiratory infections, diarrhoea, and skin diseases. The UN calls for immediate action to address the health crisis in Gaza and ensure the delivery of essential aid to those in need.
Source
Photo credit www.euronews.com