In a landmark step to accelerate progress towards ending polio in Somalia and accelerating immunization coverage, the Prime Minister of Somalia, His Excellency Hamza Abdi Barre, on 29th June launched a national task force on immunization and polio and a child survival forum.

The Somalia Immunization and Polio Eradication Task Force (SIPE), which the Prime Minister himself will chair, will oversee polio eradication and immunization efforts across the country, mobilize financial to ensure that every child in Somalia is reached with lifesaving vaccines. The task force comprises key health officials at federal and state levels and international partners.

Speaking at the launch in Mogadishu, Prime Minister Barre reiterated his government’s commitment to stopping the transmission of polio by providing strong support and oversight of polio eradication and routine immunization interventions in Somalia.

“The establishment of the national task force on immunization and polio is a testament to my government’s commitment to this cause,” he acknowledged.” We commit to prevent the vaccine preventable diseases as a leading cause of child mortality and efforts to improve vaccination in Somali as priority for the Government”.