Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), announced today, Friday, the successful completion of the first round of polio vaccination for children in the Gaza Strip.
In a post on social media platform X, Ghebreyesus stated, “Over 560,000 children under the age of 10 have received their first dose of the vaccine.”
He added, “This is a tremendous success amidst the tragic daily reality of life throughout the Gaza Strip.”
The WHO, along with its partner organizations, negotiated a temporary ceasefire with both Israel and Hamas, allowing families to bring their children to vaccination centers and enabling mobile vaccination teams to reach households.
No significant incidents were reported during the nearly two-week campaign.
Children will need a second dose of the oral vaccine within four weeks to ensure protection against the virus.
The campaign follows the discovery of three cases of polio in Gaza last July, marking the first instances of the disease recorded in the area in 25 years.
