UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Friday urgently called for a humanitarian pause in the Gaza conflict to facilitate a crucial polio vaccination campaign. Guterres emphasized that while the “ultimate vaccine for polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian ceasefire,” a temporary pause is essential to safely vaccinate children.
Guterres stated that polio transcends political divisions, urging all parties to mobilize efforts to combat the disease rather than fight people. His call was echoed by global health agencies, which stressed the need for at least seven days of ceasefire to ensure safe vaccine administration.
In July 2024, the polio virus was detected in sewage samples in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah, with three suspected cases of acute flaccid paralysis reported among children. Just hours after Guterres’ appeal, the first case was confirmed in an unvaccinated 10-month-old child.
The United Nations, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, plans to launch a two-phase vaccination campaign by the end of August. The campaign aims to vaccinate over 640,000 children under the age of 10, deploying more than 1.6 million doses of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).
Guterres noted that the deteriorating situation in Gaza, with most healthcare facilities either destroyed or severely damaged, exacerbates the urgency for focused humanitarian efforts. The conflict has decimated vital health, water, and sanitation systems, creating fertile ground for further disease outbreaks.
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