Jigjiga. 17 April 2014 – The World Health Organization (WHO) and Somali Region are poised to intensify efforts to interrupt polio transmission in the region and in Ethiopia. A high-level WHO delegation, led by the WHO Representative to Ethiopia, visited the Somali Region on 14 and 15 April to affirm WHO's support to the region and discuss increased strategic interventions to control the outbreak.

On 14 April, the WHO delegation, composed of experts in emergency and outbreak response, immunization, maternal and child health, direct technical support to the regions, social mobilization, as well as information technology and communication, met with the Somali Regional State Vice President/ Regional Health Bureau Head, and the Deputy Head of the Regional Health Bureau in Jijiga. The WHO Representative introduced his Special Representative to the Somali Region, affirming WHO's commitment to increase support the region. The newly appointed WHO senior staff member will coordinate WHO's polio outbreak response efforts in the region for the next two months, focusing on the high risk woredas and on strengthening community-level surveillance and social mobilization networks. WHO aims to also improve coordination with other UN agencies to facilitate UN Delivering as One to kick polio out of Ethiopia.

The Somali Regional Health Bureau and the WHO delegation travelled to Warder, Dolo Zone, which is the epicentre of the outbreak, on 15 April to formally establish a Command Post for improved coordination. The delegation was warmly welcomed by the Head of Dolo Zonal Administration, residents of Warder and other Zonal officials. Mr Mahmood Ali Ahmed, Head of Dolo Zonal Administration, outlined the progress, achievements and challenges in the polio response activities, noting the progressive improvement in quality of the response and use of innovative approaches. Dr M’Pele-Kilebou, WHO Representative, reaffirmed, on behalf of all Expanded Programme on Immunization patners, their full commitment to the heightened efforts to interrupt transmission and welcomed  the establishment of the command post.

The current wild polio outbreak affecting the Horn of Africa began in Somalia in May 2013. The first imported polio case was detected in Ethiopia in August 2013; the onset of the most recent tenth case was on 5 January 2014. Since the beginning of the outbreak in Ethiopia, the Federal Ministry of Health, supported by WHO and UNICEF and other health partners such as Rotary, USAID, CDC, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, and GAVI have conducted two rounds of national immunization days (NIDs), as well as sub national supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) to ensure fast and aggressive interruption of wild polio virus transmission in  Somali region.