Gaza's Fight Against Polio: A Race Against Time and War

Trying to stop a dangerous disease from spreading while bombs are dropping all around you. That's the situation in Gaza, where the World Health Organization (WHO) had to stop giving kids a second dose of the polio vaccine because of intense fighting. The war in northern Gaza has made it too dangerous for families to take their kids to get vaccinated. This is a big deal because polio can cause serious health problems, and kids need two doses of the vaccine to be protected. The first case of polio in Gaza in 25 years was found recently. That's why the WHO started a vaccination campaign, splitting it into three phases across different parts of Gaza. They tried to time it with breaks in the fighting to keep everyone safe. But the war is making it hard to finish the job. The WHO says that if kids don't get the second dose soon, it could make the polio outbreak even worse. So far, the WHO has vaccinated a lot of kids in the central and southern parts of Gaza. But the fighting is making it tough to reach kids in the north. The WHO says it's really important to finish the vaccination campaign soon, so more kids don't get sick. They're asking for breaks in the fighting so they can do their job and protect the kids. This war has been going on since October 7, 2023, and it's caused a lot of harm. More than 1, 200 people have died in Israel, and over 42, 700 have died in Gaza, most of them civilians. It's a sad and complicated situation.