The re-emergence of polio in Gaza is not a sudden event, but the tragic result of a series of events that have severely compromised the foundations of public health. Even before the current conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic had already weakened global defenses. The suspension of routine vaccination programs in many areas of the world created an "immunity gap," leaving millions of children unprotected against preventable diseases that were once thought to be defeated.
The war has turned this fragility into a catastrophe. Bombings and air strikes have destroyed hospitals, clinics, and health centers, making access to care—and especially to basic vaccinations—almost impossible. The situation is further worsened by a shortage of medical supplies, the destruction of drug storage systems, and the growing number of health workers forced to flee or fight for their own survival. The water and sanitation infrastructure, already precarious, has collapsed, contaminating water and the environment and creating an ideal breeding ground for diseases transmitted by the fecal-oral route, such as polio.
An emergency that can't wait
In July 2024, the first alarm signal put humanitarian agencies on high alert: traces of the poliovirus were found in wastewater. A month later, the fear became a reality with the diagnosis of polio in a 10-month-old child in Deir al-Balah, in the heart of the Strip. It was the first confirmed case in a quarter-century and marked the beginning of a new, dramatic battle.
In the face of this emergency, organizations like UNICEF and the WHO have launched a massive vaccination campaign. By February 2025, nearly 603,000 children under 10 had been vaccinated, but the road is still long and full of dangers. Operations are constantly hindered by violence, insecurity, and the continuous displacement of the population, which makes it extremely difficult to reach every child who needs it. The mission of health workers is not only a race against time to stop the epidemic but also a fight for access and safety in a constantly changing conflict zone.
The case of Gaza reminds us how incredibly fragile the gains in public health are and how they can be erased in an instant. In this context, the return of polio is not just a medical issue but a severe warning about how war destroys not only lives but also the very foundations of health and hope for future generations. If the human tragedy isn't enough to shake our consciences, perhaps the alarm of a forgotten disease that could return to spread, reminding us of our interconnectedness, will push us to reflect and act.
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*Board Member, SRSN (Roman Society of Natural Science)
Past Editor-in-Chief Italian Journal of Dermosurgery
