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The four-day effort, supported by WHO and UNICEF, aims to stop the spread of polio and strengthen immunization efforts across high-risk regions
Somalia has launched a four-day nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting 2.5 million children under the age of five. The vaccination drive, which started on Sunday 16th, focuses on high-risk areas in the country, including Juballand, Hirshabelle, Southwest, Galmudug, and the Banadir Regional Administration. The campaign is led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
This effort is aimed at stopping the transmission of the circulating variant type 2 poliovirus, which has been present in Somalia since 2017. Somalia is one of the seven “consequential geographies” identified by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative due to its high risk of polio outbreaks. Other high-risk areas include Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Yemen, and northern Nigeria. These regions are especially vulnerable due to ongoing conflicts, fragile health systems, and difficulties reaching all children with vaccines.
The vaccination campaign will use the new oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) to immunize children in these targeted regions. Vaccination teams will go door-to-door to ensure that every child receives the vaccine. This campaign is not only focused on polio eradication but also aims to strengthen Somalia’s routine immunization programs and address vaccine hesitancy within communities.
Last year, Somalia achieved significant progress by vaccinating 600,000 children through routine immunization efforts and targeted vaccination campaigns. This was an important step in reaching the estimated 1.5 million children in the country who had not received any form of vaccination. This new campaign builds on that progress and aims to ensure that even more children are protected from polio and other preventable diseases.
Polio is a dangerous disease that can cause lifelong disability and even death, but it is entirely preventable through vaccination. Every round of vaccination brings Somalia closer to halting the transmission of polio. With strong community support, government leadership, and the assistance of partners, Somalia is hopeful that it can reach its goal of eradicating polio once and for all.
The Somali government has been actively working to tackle polio and other diseases. Recently, the government formed a national task force on immunization and polio eradication, which is chaired by the Prime Minister. This task force aims to accelerate efforts to eliminate these diseases. In addition to the polio vaccination campaign, the government plans to introduce vaccines for pneumococcal disease and rotavirus later this year. These vaccines are expected to reduce child mortality from pneumonia and diarrhea, two leading causes of death in Somali children.
Polio remains a significant threat, but with continued efforts and cooperation from the government, healthcare workers, and the community, it can be eradicated. This nationwide vaccination campaign is an essential part of ensuring that no child is left behind in the fight against polio and other preventable diseases. The government, alongside its partners, remains committed to improving child survival rates and providing protection against deadly diseases.
The success of this campaign will not only help protect Somali children from polio but also strengthen the country’s broader healthcare system. By vaccinating children across the nation and reaching the most vulnerable populations, Somalia is taking crucial steps towards achieving its goal of eliminating polio and other preventable diseases. As vaccination teams move from door to door, they are helping to ensure that every Somali child is protected from the devastating effects of polio.
In the coming days, as vaccination efforts continue, Somalia hopes to see another significant reduction in polio transmission and further progress in its mission to protect every child from preventable diseases. The ongoing commitment to child health and survival is at the heart of these efforts, and the success of this campaign will be another step forward in achieving a polio-free Somalia