UAE Supports Urgent Polio Vaccination Campaign in Gaza

The UAE stepped in with an essential polio vaccination for children in the Gaza Strip. It does so in reaction to a poliovirus outbreak in the region after 25 years of absence. Let’s review what is happening and why it is so important.

Problem: Polio Returns to Gaza

In July 2024, doctors found the virus that causes polio in Gaza. By August 23, they confirmed that at least one child in Gaza was paralyzed by this virus. That is serious, as it represents the first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years.

Polio is a dangerous disease that can make people, especially children, seriously ill. Moreover, it leads to paralysis, in which people are not able to move certain parts of their bodies. That is why stopping it right before it spreads on to many other children is important.

The Solution: A Big Vaccination Campaign

To address this issue, the President of the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has decided to step in. He has promised to bear the cost of $5 million required for conducting a massive vaccination campaign in Gaza, which will vaccinate more than 640,000 children under 10 years of age with the polio vaccine.

The way the campaign will go on is as follows:

– It will start on 1st September, 2024.

– That will be going on for several days across different parts of Gaza. 

– Each of the children will receive two doses of the vaccine. 

The distribution of these vaccines will, in addition, be supported by over 2,100 health workers. Major stakeholders involved in making this possible include the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UNRWA, with whom the UAE is partnering. The Emirati authorities have so far delivered 1.26 million doses of the vaccine to Gaza, with another 400,000 set to be supplied shortly.

Why This Campaign is So Crucial

The situation in Gaza makes it easy for diseases like polio to spread. Many are living close to each other, and many have had to leave their homes. Also, the systems that would normally keep people healthy, like clean water and good toilets, aren’t working well.

In order to stop polio, at least 90 of every 100 children need to be immunized. The campaign aims at attaining that target so all the kids in Gaza are saved.

Other Ways UAE is Helping Gaza

UA isn’t just helping when it comes to vaccines; they’re doing much more to help Gazans:

• More than 40,000 tones of essential supplies have been sent, including food and medicine.
• They have established a hospital in southern Gaza, in addition to one on a ship. These hospitals treated over 27,000 injured Palestinians.
• It is also facilitating the treatment of 1,000 Palestinian children and 1,000 cancer patients in UAE hospitals.
• Six water plants provided with humanitarian support from the UAE are providing clean water to over 600,000 people in Gaza

Sharjah Investment Forum 2024 Helps UAE Build a Tech-Driven Economy

Thank You World Leaders – UAE

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, thanked them both-the UAE and its President. He did it on social media, revealing how much this kind of support for children’s health is meaningful in general.

The contribution of the UAE toward vaccination against poliomyelitis in the Gaza Strip is a big step toward the healthiness of children. All that shows the way different countries can jointly work for the improvement of health, even in the worst situation. Indeed, the UAE is creating a tangible difference in the lives of hundreds of children and families in this region by helping in polio eradication.