First Phase of Gaza Polio Vaccination Campaign Concludes Successfully

Over 187,000 children under the age of 10 in central Gaza were successfully vaccinated with the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) during the first phase of a two-round vaccination campaign, exceeding the initial target of 157,000 due to population movement towards the area. Conducted from September 1–3, the campaign reached areas outside the designated humanitarian pause zone, ensuring more children were protected against polio.

Polio vaccinations will continue at four major health facilities in central Gaza in the coming days to ensure no child is missed, with additional vaccine doses supplied to meet the demand.

Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory, expressed hope as thousands of children received vaccines, crediting the resilience of families and health workers. He highlighted the importance of respecting humanitarian pauses, which enabled the campaign’s success.

A total of 513 teams, including over 2,180 health and outreach workers, administered vaccines at 143 sites, including hospitals, camps, and public spaces. Mobile teams also targeted hard-to-reach areas. Special missions were carried out in insecure areas just outside the pause zone, ensuring children in these regions were not overlooked.

The next phase of the campaign, targeting 340,000 children in southern Gaza, will run from September 5–8, with 517 teams deployed. The third and final phase will be conducted in northern Gaza from September 9–11, aiming to vaccinate 150,000 children.

The campaign, organized by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in partnership with the WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA, and other global partners, seeks to vaccinate 640,000 children across two rounds to stop the outbreak and prevent further international spread of polio.