The 17th Sub-National Immunization Days werelaunched on 8 October 2015 at Shinille Town of Somali Region. Present at the launching were Acting Head of the Somali Regional Health Bureau Mr Abdulfatah Said, Rotary National Polio Plus (NPPC) Chair DR Tadesse Alemu, Past District Governer (PDG) Mr Ezra Teshome, members of the visiting Rotary International team from the USA and Canada, government officials, WHO Representative Dr 
Pierre M’pele-Kilebou, representatives from UN agencies, representatives of international and local organizations, other invited guests and mothers with their children.

Speaking at the opening, Dr Pierre M’pele said, “Now the time has come to sustain our achievement and it is why we are here to administer the two drops of polio vaccine to our children – so that we can end polio now in Shinille, in Sitte Zone, in Somali region, in Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa, in Africa and all over the world.” 

Similarly, Dr Tadesse Alemu,keynote address, said that the achievement gained in Ethiopia in interrupting the transmission of wild polio virus is not the achievement gained only for Ethiopia but has a wider role towards making Africa polio-free and getting the Region certified.

The polio goodwill ambassador, the world famous Somali-born artist, Nimco Dareen, who is the topmost Somali singer started her ambassadorship during the 17th SNIDs.

The Dire Dawa Education Bureau Children’s Marching Band, traditional singers of the Somali Region and the coffee ceremony added colour to the launching event.