Austrian Development Agency contributes Euro 500,000 for polio eradication in the Somali Region of Ethiopia

The Austrian Development Agency has contributed Euro 500,000 to the 2006 Polio eradication activities to support vaccination campaigns and surveillance activities in the Somali Region of Ethiopia through the WHO Ethiopia Country Office.

The donation was acquired based on the funding proposal made by the WHO Ethiopia Country Office to overcome the shortfall for the year 2006 polio eradication campaigns and Surveillance in the country.

In a meeting held at the office of the Austrian Development Cooperation in Ethiopia on 21 February 2005, the WHO representative to Ethiopia, Dr. Olusegun Babaniyi thanked the Austrian Government for making this generous contribution for the effort to eradicate polio in the Somali region of Ethiopia

The core attention to the Somali Region is due to the fact that the health status of the Region is one of the lowest in the country. The Somali Region of Ethiopia borders East Harerge Zone of Oromia Region where the three most recently confirmed wild poliovirus cases were identified. In addition, there is a risk of poliovirus importation from the widespread outbreak in neighboring Somalia.

Low routine polio immunization coverage with three doses of OPV at 11% for 2005 in Somali Region makes interruption of the transmission of wild poliovirus a major challenge. There is a general lack of access to essential preventive and curative health services. Further, recurrent droughts continue to have had damaging effects on the health status of the Somali population.

Supplemental polio immunization campaigns have been conducted in Somali Region since 1997. The Region participated in four of the five 2005 rounds of polio Sub National Immunization Days in Ethiopia. Flooding prevented the Somali Region from participating in one of the 2005 campaign.

On 20 February 2006, Somali Region commenced, a polio vaccination campaign in all 53 Woredas including bordering areas. The exercise will cover an estimated 900,000 children under the age of 5 years. Ethiopia remains at risk for importation of poliovirus from the neighboring countries. To contain and interrupt further transmission of the poliovirus, additional rounds of National Immunization Days (NIDs) will be necessary while surveillance will have to be intensified.

WHO Ethiopia Country Office will enhance mobilizing resources both at national and international level until Ethiopia declared to be free from Polio.