16 February 2025, Mogadishu, Somalia – Today Somalia launched a 4-day nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting 2.5 million children under the age of 5 in the consequential states, Juballand, Hirshabelle, Southwest, Galmudug and Banadir Regional Administration in Somalia. Led by the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the campaign aims to stop the transmission of circulating variant type 2 poliovirus which has been in circulation in Somalia since 2017.

Somalia is one of the 7 “consequential geographies” identified by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative due to persistent polio outbreaks, fragile health systems and ongoing conflicts that hinder immunization efforts. Other high-risk regions include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tete province in Mozambique, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, northern Yemen and northern Nigeria.

To stop the spread of polio, vaccination teams will go door-to-door, ensuring that every eligible child receives the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2). The campaign will also strengthen routine immunization efforts and enhance community engagement to address vaccine hesitancy.