Brazzaville/Amman/Geneva – For almost a decade, the Horn of Africa has battled persistent outbreaks of variant poliovirus. Low immunity in kids and unmonitored inhabitants motion have fuelled poliovirus unfold. At a programmatic stage, the shortage of entry to kids residing in insecure areas, variable ranges of nationwide possession of polio eradication efforts throughout international locations, restricted cross-border coordination and delayed responses to outbreaks have allowed continued unfold of poliovirus. 

Nevertheless, international locations within the Horn are renewing the momentum to finish these outbreaks and deal with this regional disaster. On the sidelines of the World Well being Meeting from 19 to 27 Could 2025, Ministers of Well being from the Horn of Africa and International Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) companions pledged to proceed intensifying efforts to finish polio within the area. They agreed to determine an inter-ministerial coordination physique to provoke coordinated actions throughout international locations within the area. These efforts embrace conducting synchronized polio vaccination campaigns, enhancing poliovirus surveillance, notably alongside shared borders, and sharing data by means of environment friendly coordination mechanisms.  

Greater than 18 million kids vaccinated

Already demonstrating robust inter-country coordination, in a crucial milestone – and one of many largest vaccination drives within the area, greater than 18 million kids in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia had been reached by a synchronized – or coordinated, the place it was not potential to synchronize- polio vaccination marketing campaign carried out in two consecutive rounds between February and April 2025. 

Through the first vaccination drive, which started in Somalia in February and concluded in Ethiopia and Kenya, the three international locations shared real-time data on vaccination and poliovirus surveillance, to make sure no pockets of under-immunized kids or circulating virus had been missed. 

Nation-level vaccination efforts 

Ethiopia has strengthened surveillance and preparedness efforts to stop additional unfold. In February, over 15 million kids had been vaccinated. The marketing campaign launched within the nation’s Somali area.

In Kenya, almost 1 million kids, together with 10 000 alongside the border with Ethiopia and Somalia within the first three days alone, had been vaccinated in high-risk areas.

Vaccination groups in Somalia travelled from door to door throughout 76 districts in central and south Somalia and reached 2.4 million out of the focused 2.5 million kids underneath 5 years of age with novel oral polio vaccines kind 2 (nOPV2). Well being staff collaborated intently with counterparts in Ethiopia and Kenya to achieve each eligible little one residing alongside or crossing the borders. 

In Djibouti, greater than 155 000 kids obtained polio vaccines in April 2025 in response to detections of variant poliovirus in a baby and the atmosphere, and to spice up kids’s immunity given the excessive danger of unfold within the area.

Mounting a powerful seek for poliovirus

The area can also be reinvigorating efforts to detect poliovirus, notably in high-risk places, together with by conducting a joint surveillance evaluate throughout international locations within the Horn of Africa. Whereas Kenya has not reported any variant poliovirus instances to date in 2025, the nation detected polio-like signs – often known as acute flaccid paralysis – in wholesome kids amongst new arrivals at Kakuma Refugee Camp by means of ongoing surveillance. Stool samples collected examined destructive for poliovirus.

Somalia has continued to fight variant poliovirus circulation since 2017. In 2024, the virus paralyzed seven kids,  however no instances have been reported to date this yr.

Ethiopia is the brand new hotspot for variant poliovirus kind 2 circulation within the Horn of Africa, with variant poliovirus was detected in 44 kids final yr, reinforcing the urgency of outbreak response efforts.

“The dedication proven by the Horn of African international locations in coordinating their polio vaccination efforts displays the energy of regional solidarity. By working collectively, we’re guaranteeing that progress towards polio eradication is sustained. WHO and the International Polio Eradication Initiative stay dedicated to supporting these international locations of their continued battle towards polio,” stated Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Performing WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“Illnesses – like polio – don’t acknowledge borders and conceal amongst weak populations. Whereas we acknowledge the governments and well being staff of Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, for his or her robust collaboration, we should acknowledge we are able to all do extra to make sure no little one misses out on polio and different life-saving vaccines – and to accentuate efforts to trace, hint and cease polio from spreading,” stated Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean.   

Preparation for the cross-border vaccination drive and collaboration took centre stage in the course of the Horn of Africa Coordination assembly carried out in Kampala in September 2024. WHO, GPEI companions and well being representatives from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda gathered to strengthen cross-border plans and align on priorities.