The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported the detection of polio in Gaza, prompting a warning from its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, that immediate preventive actions are necessary to protect children in the conflict-affected region. Tedros expressed his concerns via the social media platform X, highlighting the impact of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas on public health. He emphasized that the conflict is impeding efforts to address preventable health threats like polio.
Tedros referenced an article he authored in the French newspaper Le Monde, where he detailed the discovery of poliovirus in sewage samples from Gaza. Although no clinical cases have been confirmed yet, Tedros warned that without swift intervention, it is imminent that the virus will infect the many unprotected children in the area. Poliomyelitis, primarily transmitted through contaminated water, is a highly contagious disease that can lead to paralysis and death, particularly in young children.
Globally, polio cases have significantly reduced by 99% since 1988, largely due to extensive vaccination programs aimed at eradicating the virus. In response to the recent detection, the WHO plans to distribute over a million polio vaccines to Gaza in the upcoming weeks to shield children from potential infection.
