Synchronized polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) were conducted in Ethiopia, Somalia, and Djibouti on 14–18 June 2014 to accelerate progress towards ending polio in the Horn of Africa. The synchronized SIAs were an outcome of the Horn of Africa Countries Synchronized Cross-Border Polio Outbreak Preparedness and Response Meeting in Jijgiga, 21–23 May 2014, where Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Djibouti agreed to strengthen cross-border collaboration to kick polio out of the Horn of Africa.

“One country alone cannot overcome polio eradication unless there is a joint effort by all countries of the Horn of Africa,” said Mr Abdufatah Mohammed Hassen, Vice President of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State and Head of the Regional Health Bureau at the launching ceremony of the cross-border meeting held in Jigjiga. Representing the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Dr Daddi Jima, Head of the Ethiopian Public Health Institute, reinforced the message emphasizing that “the Government is committed to collaborating with neighbouring countries to stop further transmission, and achieve the 2018 target of global polio-free certification.” 

Cross-border points are potential entry points for transmission of wild polio virus fuelled by the mobile nature of pastoralist communities.The recent new polio case reported in Puntland State of Somalia, presents a great concern to all of the Horn of Africa countries. The first simultaneous polio immunization activity in the region is, therefore, an important step forward in accelerating progress towards achieving interruption of the transmission of polio in the Horn of Africa.

To reinforce support and strengthen polio eradication efforts in the Somali Region, a high-level delegation consisting of Dr Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health, Mr Abdufatah Mohammed Hassen, Vice President of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State and Head of the Somali Regional Health Bureau, Dr Pierre M’Pele-Kilebou, WHO Representative to Ethiopia, Dr Samuel Okiror, WHO Horn of Africa Polio Coordinator, and Dr Willis Ogutu, Head of UNICEF programme in Somali Region, visited Warder in Doollo Zone, the epicentre of the wild polio virus outbreak in Ethiopia, on 14 June 2014. The delegation launched, together with the Warder Zonal Administration, the ninth round of polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in the outbreak zone and formally inaugurated the Zonal Polio Outbreak Command Post, which had been established in April 2014 to improve coordination of response activities. 

The current wild polio outbreak affecting the Horn of Africa began in Somalia in April 2013. The first polio case was detected in Ethiopia in August 2013 linked to the circulating virus in Somalia; so far ten cases have been confirmed, all in Doollo Zone, with the onset of the most recent case being 5 January 2014. 

WHO declared the spread of polio as a public health emergency of international concern on 5 May 2014. Since the beginning of the outbreak, WHO, UNICEF, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, CDC, CORE GROUP, DFID, GAVI Alliance and Rotary International have been supporting the Federal Ministry of Health’s fast and aggressive response to the outbreak.

For more information, please contact Dr Fiona Braka, Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition Cluster Coordinator, WHO Ethiopia; email: brakaf [at] who.int

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PHOTOS: WHO Ethiopia/ Loza Mesfin Tesfaye & Viivi Erkkila