Friday October 25, 2024
Somali Health Minister Dr. Ali Haji Adam addresses attendees during an event marking World Polio Day on October 24, 2024, in Mogadishu. The event highlighted Somalia's renewed commitment to eradicating polio and intensifying vaccination efforts in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF. CREDIT Ministry of Health- Somalia/ X (Twitter)
Mogadishu (HOL) — Somalia, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, renewed its commitment to eradicating polio on World Polio Day, calling for intensified efforts to protect every child from the debilitating disease. Officials warned that without sustained immunization efforts, the country risks further outbreaks, as it battles the world’s longest-running outbreak of variant poliovirus type 2.
Somalia’s Federal Minister of Health, Dr. Ali Haji Adam, stressed the importance of vaccination in safeguarding the nation’s future. “Every child vaccinated brings us closer to a polio-free Somalia,” Dr. Haji stated. “We urge all stakeholders to prioritize funding and support for expanded immunization campaigns in 2024.”
Somalia has made strides in halting the spread of wild poliovirus, successfully stopping transmission in 2014. However, the variant poliovirus type 2 outbreak, coupled with recurrent measles and cholera epidemics, has tested the country’s fragile health system, already strained by persistent drought and flooding. These natural disasters have made it increasingly difficult to reach children in remote and underserved areas.
“Somalia’s progress in the fight against polio is commendable, especially in its most isolated regions,” said WHO Deputy Representative Dr. Mohamed Ali Kamil. “But the work is far from over. We must remain vigilant and committed to reaching every last child to ensure the virus does not resurface.”
UNICEF’s Deputy Country Representative, Nizar Syed, echoed this call for renewed efforts. “On this World Polio Day, we are reminded of how far we’ve come, but also of the immense work still ahead,” Syed remarked. “No child should be paralyzed by a preventable disease. Investing in vaccines and strengthening our health systems is key to protecting future generations.”
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), launched in 1988, has played a major role in reducing polio cases worldwide by 99%. However, Somalia’s complex political landscape, coupled with ongoing environmental challenges, continues to impede complete eradication.