Yemen Monitor /Newsroom:
A new round of polio vaccination campaigns has been launched in areas under the control of the Yemeni government, aiming to boost community immunity and curb the spread of the virus.
The campaign, which runs for three days from July 12 to 14, 2025, targets the vaccination of more than 1.3 million children across 120 districts in 12 governorates using the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2).
Dr. Fremma Kulibaly-Zerbo, Acting Representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Yemen, stated that the country remains highly vulnerable to virus outbreaks due to the prolonged conflict, a weakened healthcare system, and low routine immunization rates. She emphasized the critical importance of such campaigns in halting virus transmission and protecting children.
Since 2021, a total of 282 cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have been reported in 122 districts across 19 governorates, with the vast majority of cases occurring in children under five. This underscores the urgent need for the use of nOPV2.
The campaign is being carried out by around 7,000 vaccination teams, including 6,000 mobile teams and 800 based in health facilities. It is supervised by approximately 2,000 field supervisors and 240 district-level coordinators, with support from the Ministry of Public Health and Population, WHO, UNICEF, and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
Peter Hawkins, UNICEF Representative in Yemen, described the campaign as a critical and urgent step to protect children from polio, stressing that vaccination is the only way to shield unvaccinated children from the threat of the virus.
WHO and UNICEF reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Yemeni government in its efforts to eradicate polio and strengthen routine immunization services, emphasizing the need for ongoing investment and coordinated action to ensure no child is left unprotected.
