WHO EMRO – Somalia pilots a new approach to polio vaccination
16 August 2026, Mogadishu, Somalia – Somalia’s Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services and Banadir Regional Administration, with support from World Health Organization (WHO) Somalia, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, concluded a five-day polio vaccination campaign in Banadir Region’s Daynile, Garasbaley and Kahda districts on 13 August 2026.
The campaign administered oral polio vaccine to 122 067 children in districts that are home to displaced families that previous campaigns had found difficult to reach.
The vaccination campaign piloted a government-led, health-facility-anchored approach in these high-risk settings as part of an emergency action plan to end the polio outbreak that started in 2017. The plan prioritizes quality-verified campaigns, stronger microplanning and improved accountability to close immunity gaps across the country.
Rigorous planning and government leadership key to success
Following three months of intense planning and field preparations involving the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services, Banadir Regional Administration, district teams, WHO, UNICEF and other partners, senior government officials, including the deputy Mayor of Mogadishu and the Governor of Banadir, joined representatives of participating organizations, frontline health workers and communities for the launch of the campaign, demonstrating their commitment to ending polio.
Dr Mohamed Ali Kamil, WHO Somalia Representative, speaks during the launch of the pilot polio vaccination campaign in Kahda District, Banadir Region. Photo credit: Abdirahiim Caylawe.
“This pilot shows the power of the government, health workers, communities and partners working together to reach every child with vaccines and health services. Stronger planning and accountability help us vaccinate more children and create a healthier future for Somalia,” said Dr Mustafe Awil Jama, Director of the Family Health Department at the Federal Ministry of Health and Human Services.
Closing urban immunization gaps
The campaign deployed 178 vaccination teams and used a combination of house-to-house, fixed-site, transit and mobile vaccination. Teams used detailed microplans, population data, geographic information system data and field validation to identify settlements and priority locations.
A health worker administers oral polio vaccine drops to a Somali child during the first day of the pilot polio vaccination campaign in Banadir Region. Photo credit: Abdirahiim Caylawe.
Independent monitors from the Field Epidemiology Training Programme, supported by CDC, provided real-time quality assurance. Children missed during the campaign were identified through monitoring and will be referred for immediate follow-up and vaccination.
Urban areas present particular challenges due to incoming populations, including in informal settlements. The campaign aimed to address these gaps by strengthening links between health facilities, vaccination teams and communities.
WHO is committed to supporting the Federal Government of Somalia at all levels to strengthen the quality and reach of polio and other lifesaving vaccines, using data to identify children who have been missed and building stronger, more accountable immunization systems.
Somali mothers wait with their children to receive polio vaccines at Kahda Health Centre in Banadir Region, Somalia. Photo credit: Abdirahiim Caylawe.
“Reaching every child requires strong government leadership, engaged communities and effective collaboration among all partners,” said WHO Representative in Somalia Dr Mohamed Ali Kamil. “This polio campaign is an important opportunity to test a more targeted and accountable approach to vaccination in urban settings and learn lessons that can guide future efforts to interrupt poliovirus transmission.”
Shaping future immunization campaigns
The campaign provided an opportunity to explore new ways to reach children in high-risk urban settings and identify practical lessons for future immunization campaigns. The experience will inform future efforts to strengthen microplanning, accountability and the use of data to identify missed children and improve vaccination coverage as the campaign is replicated in other high-risk areas.
Polio vaccinators mark a household after administering oral polio vaccine to eligible children during door-to-door vaccination activities in Dayniile District, Banadir Region. Photo credit: Abdirahiim Caylawe.
With 122 067 children aged under five – 94% of the initial target – vaccinated, the campaign represented an important step in testing a more targeted and accountable approach to polio vaccination in Somalia.
WHO will continue to work with the Federal Government of Somalia, communities and partners to strengthen immunization services and support efforts to protect every child from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
For more information, please contact:
Khadar Hared, Communication Officer, WHO Somalia,
Tel: +252619800011
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