Ethiopia conducted a synchronized polio vaccination campaign with South Sudan using the bivalent Oral Polio vaccine (bOPV) and reached over one million children under five years in high-risk border areas and refugee camps, as part of urgent efforts to prevent cross-border transmission of the variant polio virus from neighboring South Sudan. The vaccination campaign, implemented from 7 to 10 May 2026, covered Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz regions as well as West Wollega and Kelem Wollega zones of Oromia Region.
The intervention followed the detection of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in South Sudan in March and April 2026, including cases identified close to the Ethiopian border, heightening the risk of importation to Ethiopian communities. Given the porous borders and frequent population movements between the two countries, particularly among traders, pastoralists, and refugee populations, the health authorities moved swiftly to reinforce interventions to prevent further spread. Currently, five variant polioviruses (cVDPV1) have been reported from Gambella from children in refugee camps in Ethiopia from South Sudan.
At the official launch of the campaign in Gambella, the WHO Ethiopia Representative, Professor Francis Kasolo, in a message delivered by Dr Fadinding Manneh, WHO GPEI Coordinator, underscored that the campaign was a proactive preventive measure designed to protect children. He highlighted that Gambella’s unique context—marked by mobility, diversity, and strong cross-border ties—requires heightened vigilance and coordinated action. He highlighted that the vaccination campaign represented a critical opportunity to safeguard children in border communities and refugee settlements.
Dr Abel Assefa, the Gambella Regional Health Bureau Head emphasized the urgency of the vaccination campaign, stating: “This synchronized effort is essential to protect our children, especially those in border and refugee communities who are most at risk. Through collaboration with partners and neighboring countries, we are committed to reaching every child and preventing the importation and spread of the variant poliovirus.”
The vaccination campaign was conducted in close coordination with South Sudan to ensure synchronized implementation on both sides of the border, creating substantial effect to interrupt virus transmission. Preparations included detailed microplanning, mapping of migration routes and crossing points, and alignment of operational strategies between the two countries, supported by WHO, UNICEF, Public Health institutions and other partners. Special deployment approaches were designed to reach mobile and hard-to-access populations, including those in riverine areas and densely populated settlements, ensuring that all eligible children were reached regardless of location or legal status.
The Ethiopian Public Health Institute, working with WHO, UNICEF, and Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners, mobilized resources from the Gates Foundation, secured vaccine supplies, and strengthened logistics systems to support effective vaccination campaign delivery. Based on available preliminary data, a total of 1,026,885 children (coverage 101%) received the bOPV during this vaccination campaign in the targeted areas.
WHO has played a programmatic leadership role in supporting the vaccination campaign implementation, providing financial support for operational costs, technical expertise for the planning, training, supervision, and monitoring. This included skills strengthening for vaccinators and supervisors, cold chain assessments to maintain vaccine potency at the last mile, and real-time monitoring to improve performance and accountability. The support also included enhancing surveillance systems, particularly for acute flaccid paralysis cases, a key indicator for detecting poliovirus transmission. Health facilities, community informants, and frontline workers were urged to remain vigilant and report suspected cases promptly. In addition, other essential health services were integrated with the bOPV vaccination campaign including identification and linkage for zero dose and under vaccinated children for routine immunization, identification and referral of obstetric fistula and referral for management, and identification and referral of club foot and referral for management, and screening for tuberculosis.
The vaccination campaign reflected Ethiopia’s continued commitment to the global goal of polio eradication and the protection of vulnerable populations. By acting early and in coordination with neighboring countries, Ethiopia aims to prevent the importation and spread of poliovirus, strengthen resilience in high-risk areas, and preserve the significant progress made toward a polio-free world. Authorities have reaffirmed their determination to reach every child and to sustain efforts beyond this initial round through strengthened routine immunization, enhanced surveillance, and continued cross-border collaboration.
The implementation of this synchronized polio vaccination campaign was successful. Gates Foundation’s continued commitment to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative has been instrumental in enabling timely resource, strengthening operational capacity, and ensuring that life-saving vaccines reach children in high-risk, underserved, and mobile populations timely. This support has significantly contributed to Ethiopia’s efforts to prevent and control of poliovirus protecting vulnerable communities, especially those in border areas and refugee settings.
Protecting children from polio is not only a national priority but also a shared regional and global responsibility.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) - Ethiopia.
