ADDIS ABABA, 23 October 2015 | Marking the occasion of World Polio Day 2015, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Rotary International, jointly reaffirm their commitment to ensure Ethiopia joins all countries in a polio-free world by 2018 – the global target for polio eradication world-wide. 

Ethiopia has been free of the wild-polio virus (WPV) for the last 21 months, since the last confirmed case in Ethiopia’s Somali Region. The 2013-2014 Horn of Africa (HOA) polio outbreak resulted in 223 WPV cases across Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia combined. Out of this number, 10 WPV type-1 (WPV1) cases were reported in Ethiopia, all in the Somali Region. The HOA polio outbreak was a devastating setback for the region, Ethiopia as a country and its people.

Due to the aggressive and innovative response led by the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and polio partners, the outbreak was declared successfully interrupted by national and international experts in June 2015. The last reported wild polio virus WPV on the entire continent of Africa was 14 months ago – with the last WPV1 case confirmed in neighboring Somalia in August 2014. While these successes are cause for celebration; we also underline the importance of sustained commitment at every level. 

In an effort to maintain the momentum, we each play our part as polio partners and bring an important and unique contribution to the polio eradication efforts. “Thirty years ago, we told the world what Rotary believes: that we can achieve the eradication of only the second human disease in history. Our belief is close to becoming reality. For every child, let’s make sure that reality is a bright one. On 23 October, Rotary will host its third annual World Polio Day event," states K.R. Ravindran Rotary International President in his friendly call to partners and allies to join World polio Day 2015. 

WHO and UNICEF continue to prioritize quality polio supplementary immunization activities (SIA); alongside sustained quality disease surveillance; coordination and technical assistance; social mobilization; vaccine procurement; cold chain and logistic support. Routine immunization, the backbone to polio prevention, is the flagship programme for FMOH, WHO, UNICEF and other partners. 

The National Routine Immunization Improvement Plan 2014-2016, with the objective to achieve national Penta 3 coverage of 95 per cent by 2016, provides focused support to 51 zones, home to the vast majority of unimmunized children of the country. 

“In the spirit of the polio legacy, we as UNICEF and as a global polio eradication partner, are working together towards a country with a strong routine immunization system, to protect all children, everywhere against polio and vaccine preventable diseases, paving the way for a better future for all,” states Patrizia DiGiovanni, Officer in Charge of UNICEF Ethiopia. 

As we commemorate World Polio Day 2015 alongside the 70th anniversary of the United Nations, we reflect upon and celebrate the polio eradication initiative contribution to themes of development and human rights; and we envision further contributions to an even brighter future. Closing out 2015 we celebrate together in recognizing Ethiopia’s achievements made towards the Millennium Development Goals particularly the reduction of under-five mortality; and we look towards a polio-free world by 2018. 

WHO Representative, Dr Pierre M’pele Kilebou affirms, “WHO is proud of its contribution towards the success attained so far in achieving MDG 4, interruption of WPV transmission and routine immunization improvement; and our efforts would continue to sustain the gain that Ethiopia have realized.” 

Even more ambitiously, we all envision the polio eradication legacy contribution to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals for equitable health and development for all children and families. The possibilities are endless; the successes are at our fingertips. In partnership, we are almost there. We will continue to work together for a polio-free Ethiopia until the job is done. And then we will keep going.

For more information, please contact: 

Teguest Yilma
Rotary International
+251 911202595
teguesty [at] yahoo.com (teguesty[at]yahoo[dot]com)  

Wossen Mulatu
UNICEF
+251 11 518 4028
wmulatu [at] unicef.org (wmulatu[at]unicef[dot]org)  

Selamawit Yilma
WHO
+251 911 671134
yilmas [at] who.int (yilmas[at]who[dot]int)