The first confirmed case of polio in the enclave in 25 years prompted UNICEF to send 1.2 million doses of the vaccine to Gaza, but distributing them during a war is expected to be challenging.The New York Times reports that more than 1.2 million doses of the polio vaccine have arrived in Gaza on Monday, in an effort to inoculate over 640,000 Palestinian children and prevent a potential outbreak. The United Nations, Israel, and health authorities in Gaza have all confirmed the arrival of the vaccines, following the first case of polio in the territory in 25 years.

According to UNICEF, the vaccines were delivered in collaboration with the World Health Organization, UNRWA, and other organizations. UNRWA officials have stated that they hope to begin administering the vaccines to children in Gaza starting on Saturday. However, the success of the campaign will depend on the conditions on the ground, as stated by Sam Rose, a senior official from the agency, at a news briefing on Monday.

The Gaza Health Ministry has also confirmed the arrival of the vaccines and is currently preparing to start the vaccination campaign for children under 10 years old. It is unclear how quickly the vaccines can be distributed to medical centers in Gaza, especially after the Israeli military ordered the evacuation of Deir al-Balah, where the agency has its central operations, causing a temporary halt in the U.N.’s humanitarian operations.

Despite this, a senior U.N. official has stated that there are no changes to the plans to begin polio vaccinations, and the campaign will proceed as scheduled. Speaking from Zawaida, in central Gaza, Mr. Rose of UNRWA has stated that over 3,000 people will be involved in the vaccination campaign, with a third of them from UNRWA. Mobile health teams will assist in delivering the vaccines to shelters, clinics, and schools, but a humanitarian pause is necessary for the safety of parents and children meeting aid workers at these sites.

Mr. Rose emphasized the importance of the vaccination campaign, stating that without it, conditions in Gaza will only worsen. He also highlighted the dire situation for children who contract polio, as many hospitals and health clinics in Gaza are either closed or only partially functioning due to the ongoing conflict.

The confirmation of the polio case in Gaza was announced by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on Thursday. The 10-month-old child has become paralyzed in one leg, and the virus was first detected in wastewater samples last month. This is the first confirmed case of polio in Gaza in a decade, according to SEO standards. 

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