Ethiopia Concludes Nationwide Polio Vaccine Campaign, Reaches 16.8 Million Children

A nationwide polio vaccine campaign in Ethiopia, led by the Ministry of Health and supported by international partners, has successfully reached over 16.8 million children across ten regions. The campaign, which vaccinated children against the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), was conducted from May 30 to June 2, 2025, with an administrative coverage of 105%. The campaign integrated essential maternal and child health services, extending the age range of vaccinated children to up to ten years in certain zones to maximize its reach and impact.

Key Takeaways:

• The campaign was led by the Ministry of Health and supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Rotary International, and other immunization partners.
• The campaign reached 16,800,000 children across ten regions, with an administrative coverage of 105%.
• The age range of vaccinated children was extended to up to ten years in Kellem and West Guji zones of Oromia Region, following localized risk assessments.
• WHO played a pivotal role in ensuring the campaign's success, supporting pre-campaign preparations, training of health workers, and real-time monitoring using tools like the Open Data Kit (ODK).
• Independent monitors and quality assurance surveyors were deployed in nearly half of the selected regions, enabling immediate corrective actions and contributing to higher coverage rates.
• The campaign vaccinated 48,363 zero-dose children, bringing the cumulative total to over 110,000 across both rounds.
• 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.

Statistics:

• 16,800,000 children were vaccinated across ten regions.
• The campaign had an administrative coverage of 105%.
• 48,363 zero-dose children were vaccinated, bringing the cumulative total to over 110,000 across both rounds.
• 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.
• 81 confirmed AFP cases were reported, and 654 samples were collected for laboratory analysis.
• 52,120 children were verified as vaccinated, with 90% of lots passing the quality threshold.

Sources:

• World Health Organization (WHO) — Ethiopia.
• APO Group, distributed by Contify.com.
• MIL OSI Africa, Copyright 2025 Multimedia Investments Ltd.