Ethiopia Completes Second Round of Novel Oral Polio Vaccine Type 2 Campaign, Reaching 16.8 Million Children

Ethiopia has successfully concluded the second round of its nationwide novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) campaign, reaching over 16.8 million children across ten regions. The campaign, led by the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Rotary International, and other immunization partners, integrated essential maternal and child health services to maximize its reach and impact. The primary target group was children under five, but the age range was extended to include children up to ten years in certain zones due to localized risk assessments.

Key Takeaways:

• The second round of nOPV2 campaign reached over 16.8 million children across ten regions in Ethiopia, with an administrative coverage of 105%.
• The campaign integrated essential maternal and child health services, including catch-up immunizations for zero-dose and under-vaccinated children, and supported the identification and referral of women with obstetric fistula for treatment.
• Over 110,000 zero-dose children have been vaccinated across both rounds, with 48,363 zero-dose children vaccinated in the second round alone.
• 654 children were immunized at official border entry points with Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan.
• 31,253 supervisory visits were conducted, resulting in 365 acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) alerts, with 81 confirmed cases and samples collected for laboratory analysis.
• Independent monitoring and Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) surveys confirmed high campaign quality, with 98% of 52,120 children verified as vaccinated and 90% of lots passing the quality threshold.
• The WHO remains committed to supporting Ethiopia's regions, zones, and woredas in achieving high immunization coverage and maintaining robust disease surveillance systems.

Statistics:

• 16,888,000 children reached across ten regions in Ethiopia
• 105% administrative coverage
• 110,000+ zero-dose children vaccinated across both rounds
• 48,363 zero-dose children vaccinated in the second round
• 104,000 zero-dose and under-vaccinated children identified and vaccinated in the first round
• 654 children immunized at official border entry points
• 31,253 supervisory visits conducted
• 365 acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) alerts
• 81 confirmed AFP cases
• 98% of 52,120 children verified as vaccinated
• 90% of lots passing the quality threshold

Sources:

• M2 PressWIRE-August 6, 2025-
• World Health Organization (WHO) - Ethiopia
• UNICEF
• Rotary International
• Ethiopian Public Health Institute
• Ministry of Health, Ethiopia