World Polio Day celebrated on 24 October 2014 alongside UN Day

World Polio Day was commemorated on 24 October 2014 in an event organized by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Rotary International at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) premises, as a symbol of the UN and Rotary International standing together in the fight against polio. The Day was also for the first time celebrated alongside the UN Day.

Polio partners’ field activities were showcased in an exhibition at the event attended by the UN, Diplomatic missions, development agencies, partners, Rotarians, families of Rotarians, the Media and mothers and children. 

Speaking at the event, Dr Pierre M’pele-Kilebou, WHO Representative, commended the Government of Ethiopia and EPI Partners commitment towards attaining polio-free status, adding that the World Polio Day is “a reminder of our duty to make sure that no more children are paralyzed by this disease that can be prevented with a simple, easy to administer vaccine.”

Ms Patricia DiGiovani, Acting Representative of UNICEF Ethiopia, also attributed the strides gained in the fight against polio to strong partnerships whose benefits will extend beyond polio eradication, saying, “Structures and partnerships created for responding to the polio outbreak are improving the knowledge and resource base for routine immunization.”

The three polio partners honored the late Past District Governor Nahusenay Afework of Rotary International, who had led the Ethiopia chapter of Rotary International’s fight against polio for more than a decade.  A moment of silence was observed in his memory, and a certificate of recognition in memoriam was presented to his family by WHO, UNICEF and Rotary International.

Dignitaries gave the two drops of polio vaccine to children scheduled to be vaccinated as per their routine immunization schedule. 

Despite significant progress made in polio eradication since the launch of the initiative in 1988, the wild poliovirus (WPV) continues to infect people, causing life-long paralysis and disability. The Horn of Africa was struck with a polio outbreak in April 2013. To date, 223 cases of WPV1 have been confirmed in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia. The date of onset of the last case confirmed in Somalia was in August 2014.

Ethiopia was polio-free since 2008. However, since 2013, Ethiopia has confirmed 10 cases of polio in Doolo Zone, Somali Region. Ethiopia’s response to this crisis has been fast and aggressive. Since June 2013, 11 rounds of polio immunization campaigns have been conducted in addition to ongoing border vaccination at 45 permanent vaccination posts along the border with Somalia. National immunization days (NIDs) in October and December 2013 reached over 12 million and 15 million children, respectively. Due to these aggressive efforts, the last case of WPV in Ethiopia was confirmed more than 10 months ago, in January 2014.

The success of these polio immunization efforts is a result of national commitment and the coordinated efforts of immunization partners who are working together to “End Polio Now!” The commemoration of World Polio Day on the same day as UN Day highlights the efforts of these partners within the broader context of universal access to quality and affordable health care, including children’s right to health as a basic human right for all.  As the UN and partners look to 2015, we measure the success of our efforts against the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, acknowledging the contribution of polio immunization efforts to the achievement of the health MDGs.

In mid-November, Ethiopia will conduct the first of two rounds of the 2014 national immunization days (NIDs) aiming to vaccinate over 13 million children.

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

Photos: WHO Ethiopia/ Viivi Erkkila