First case of polio recorded in the Gaza Strip

The Palestinian Ministry of Health released this statement on Aug. 16, 2024, which was issued by Resistance News Network.

Amid the challenging health conditions in the Gaza Strip, including the spread of infectious diseases, the overflow of sewage into streets and among displaced persons’ tents and the lack of personal hygienic supplies and clean drinking water, the Ministry of Health confirms the following after laboratory confirmation of a polio case in a child exhibiting polio-like symptoms: Several specialized committees have been formed to carry out various tasks aimed at limiting the spread of the polio epidemic. 

These efforts involve collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and several experts. Preparations have been set for a vaccination campaign against polio, targeting children under 10 years of age. The campaign is pending the arrival of vaccines in the Gaza Strip. 

The Ministry emphasizes that this campaign cannot succeed without enabling medical teams to operate widely, which necessitates an urgent ceasefire. We urge citizens, especially mothers, to cooperate with the medical teams that will be stationed at various points and health centers for the campaign. The locations of these points and centers will be announced when the campaign begins. 

The Ministry stresses that the vaccination campaign alone will not suffice without addressing the root causes, such as sewage problems, waste accumulation among displaced persons’ tents, the provision of safe drinking water and an end to the aggression. 

The Ministry of Health warns that the spread of this epidemic will not be confined to the Gaza Strip, and international institutions and relevant authorities must take necessary measures to prevent its spread within and beyond the Gaza Strip. 

This statement was lightly edited.