The World Health Organization (WHO) is urgently working to combat the spread of polio in Gaza after the virus was detected in sewage in several areas of the Palestinian territory. The ongoing conflict in the region has made it challenging for health workers to carry out immunization campaigns, with the WHO stressing the need for a ceasefire or temporary pause in violence to protect Gaza’s children.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that more than one million polio vaccines will be sent to Gaza, but health workers require freedom of movement to administer them effectively. The organization is concerned about the risk of antimicrobial resistance developing in Gaza and potentially spreading to other countries.
The situation in Gaza has been exacerbated by restrictions on humanitarian access by Israel, as well as the destruction of health facilities and water sanitation plants. The lack of medical supplies and overcrowding has led to an increase in cases of diarrhoea, scabies, and other illnesses.
Cases of polio have drastically decreased globally thanks to vaccination campaigns, but the spread of the virus in Gaza underscores the need for continued efforts to eradicate it completely. The WHO emphasizes the importance of ending the violence in the region to address the growing health crisis and prevent the virus from spreading further.
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