Warder. 14 June 2014 – High-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, Somali Regional State, WHO and UNICEF visited Warder, the epicentre of the wild polio virus outbreak in Ethiopia, on 14 June 2014 and assured to strengthen support to Doollo Zone, Somali Region, to accelerate progress towards polio eradication.  

The 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, were welcomed by Mr Mahammud Ali Ahmed, Head of Doollo Zonal Administration, residents of Warder and other Zonal Officials. The delegation launched, together with the Zonal Administration, the ninth round of polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) in the outbreak zone, which will be running from 14 to 18 June 2014. 

The high-level officials formally inaugurated the Zonal Polio Outbreak Command Post, which had been established in April 2014 to improve coordination of response activities. The delegation received a briefing on the current status of the response from Dr Hassan Sugulle, WHO Polio Consultant, based in Doollo zone, who emphasized the need to do more to reach nomadic communities. Dr Kebede Worku, State Minister of Health, noted that the risk remains high, as a new polio case has recently been reported in Somalia, only 70 kilometres from the Ethiopian border. The State Minister highlighted that cross-border collaboration has been strengthened to interrupt the transmission of the wild polio virus. Mr Abdufatah Mohammed Hassen, Vice President of Somali Regional State and Head of the Somali Regional Health Bureau, stressed that the Doollo Zone will be fully supported to accelerate progress and regional technical staff will be deployed to the command post soon. 

On behalf of all partners – WHO, UNICEF, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, CDC, CORE GROUP, DFID, GAVI Alliance, Rotary International and MSF – Dr Pierre M'Pele-Kilebou, WHO Representative, acknowledged the strong commitment and progress made in Doollo Zone. He reaffirmed the support of all EPI partners and committed their support to overcome the remaining challenges in reaching every child in Doollo Zone and to prevent further transmission of wild polio virus in Ethiopia.

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

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