WHO vaccinates 10,000 Gaza children in eight-day immunization drive

The World Health Organization has successfully vaccinated over 10,000 children in Gaza during the initial eight days of an urgent immunization campaign. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the milestone, noting the vaccination drive began on November 9 and has been extended through this Saturday to maximize coverage among Gaza's vulnerable pediatric population.

Campaign Scope and Disease Prevention

The comprehensive immunization effort targets more than 40,000 children under three years of age, providing protection against multiple preventable diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, tuberculosis, polio, rotavirus, and pneumonia. The WHO has structured the campaign in multiple phases, with the second and third rounds scheduled for next month and January 2026 respectively to ensure complete immunization coverage.

Ceasefire Enables Health System Recovery

Tedros expressed encouragement that the current ceasefire has continued to hold, creating the necessary conditions for WHO and partner organizations to expand essential health services throughout Gaza. The sustained calm has allowed health workers to begin addressing the massive reconstruction needs of Gaza's devastated healthcare infrastructure, which requires extensive re-equipping and rebuilding after prolonged war.

Background of Healthcare Challenges

The vaccination campaign occurs against the backdrop of severe damage to Gaza's health system during two years of war. Healthcare facilities, hospitals, and medical staff have repeatedly been targeted, while restrictions on medicine and medical supply deliveries have left millions of Palestinians without adequate treatment options. The WHO-led immunization effort represents a critical step toward restoring basic preventive health services for Gaza's youngest residents.