UN chief urges immediate ‘polio pause’ in Gaza

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) – The UN chief on Friday called for a “polio pause” in Gaza to facilitate a major vaccination campaign.

Describing Gaza as being in a “humanitarian freefall,” Antonio Guterres told reporters in a press conference: “Just when it seems the situation could not get worse for Palestinians in Gaza, the suffering grows and the world watches.”

Noting that the detection of polio virus in wastewater samples from Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah has heightened fears, with “hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza at risk,” Guterres said: “Polio does not care about dividing lines – and polio does not wait.”

Calling for “a massive, coordinated and urgent effort” to combat the outbreak, Guterres announced that the UN plans to launch a vital polio vaccine campaign targeting more than 640,000 children under 10.

He said the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the release of 1.6 million doses and that UNICEF is coordinating the delivery of vaccines and cold chain equipment, while UNRWA has medical teams ready to administer the vaccines.

Outlining the challenges, Guterres said: “Health, water, and sanitation systems in Gaza have been decimated. The majority of hospitals and primary care facilities are not functional. People are constantly on the run for safety.”

As the campaign will involve 708 teams at health centers and 316 community outreach teams, the UN secretary-general noted the need for “facilitation of transport for vaccines and cold chain equipment,” entry of polio experts, fuel for health teams, reliable communication services, and increased cash flow for health workers.

He stressed the need for safety, stating that “a successful polio vaccination campaign needs safety” for health workers, children, and health facilities.

Guterres appealed to all parties to provide “concrete assurances right away guaranteeing humanitarian pauses for the campaign,” asserting that “the ultimate vaccine for polio is peace and an immediate humanitarian cease-fire.”

“But in any case, a polio pause is a must. It is impossible to conduct a polio vaccination campaign with war raging all over. Polio goes beyond politics,” he said, calling for unified efforts to “mobilize – not to fight people, but to fight polio” and prevent a wider disaster in the region.

Late last month, the WHO expressed “extreme” concern about a possible mass outbreak of polio in Gaza following the detection of the polio virus in sewage.