Hargeisa, Somaliland – The Ministry of Health Development, in partnership with the World Health Organization and UNICEF Somalia, successfully vaccinated 865,005 children under the age of five across Somaliland last week as part of a nationwide campaign to protect children from polio.
The large-scale exercise provided children with bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) and Vitamin A supplements, critical interventions aimed at boosting immunity and preventing potential outbreaks of the highly contagious virus.
Health Minister Hassan Mohamed Gaafaadhi praised the collaborative effort, noting that the campaign underscores Somaliland’s commitment to safeguarding children’s health.
“This success reflects the dedication of our health workers and the strong partnership with WHO and UNICEF in ensuring that every child, regardless of location, is protected from preventable diseases,” he said.
The campaign targeted both urban and rural areas, including hard-to-reach communities, with the support of community mobilizers and health volunteers. WHO and UNICEF provided technical, logistical, and cold-chain support to ensure vaccine efficacy and safe delivery.
Somaliland has remained polio-free for several years, but authorities continue to conduct regular vaccination drives as part of the regional polio eradication initiative to maintain immunity levels and prevent the virus from resurfacing through cross-border transmission.
Health officials emphasized that continued community awareness, routine immunization, and early disease surveillance remain essential in sustaining this milestone.