UN Launches Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza

The EU has called for an immediate humanitarian pause to facilitate the vaccination of children in Gaza, where a polio outbreak has been reported for the first time in 25 years. A 10-month-old unvaccinated boy recently became paralyzed due to a mutated strain of the virus, which emerged from a failed public health policy linked to the global eradication campaign. Scientists criticize a 2016 decision by the World Health Organization to remove a vaccine strain, leading to increased cases and paralysis among children. A two-round vaccination campaign is set to begin in September, aiming for a 90% vaccination rate to halt the outbreak. The Russian Federation's delegation at the UN has also discussed humanitarian efforts to address these health issues. The situation highlights significant gaps in the global response to polio, despite its elimination in most regions.