This concern is heightened by gaps in immunity coverage and mass population movements linked to the war in Ukraine, the WHO director-general said.
Because of the war in Ukraine, the spread of polio may increase, said the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO)Tedros Andanom Ghebregesous.
“We are so deeply concerned about the potential for international spread of polio due to gaps in immunity coverage and massive population movement associated with war,” he said.
Ukraine has low vaccination coverage for COVID and polio, an infectious disease that mainly affects children and can cause paralysis and, in rare cases, death. In 2021, two cases of polio were reported in Ukraine.
At the same time, the WHO expects the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ukraine to peak in October, possibly pushing hospitals close to capacity.
“We are now seeing an increase in cases of COVID-19 in Ukraine. We predict that this transmission may peak at the beginning of October and hospitals may be close to their capacity,” Gebregesus told a meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe in Tel Aviv.
“Oxygen shortages are expected because major sources of supply are in occupied parts of the country,” he said.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February had a significant impact on healthcare, with the WHO confirming over 500 attacks on healthcare infrastructure in the country, which killed around 100 people.
RES-EMP
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