On Saturday, Prime Minister Salem Saleh bin Brek officially launched the first round of the National Emergency Polio Vaccination Campaign in the temporary capital of Aden. This initiative aims to vaccinate over 1.345 million children across 120 districts in 12 liberated provinces. The campaign will run for three days.
The Ministry of Public Health and Population leads the campaign with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. More than 13,000 health workers will participate, organized into 6,924 mobile and fixed teams. These teams will operate using a “house-to-house” approach, alongside fixed health points, ensuring that vaccines reach children in remote and challenging areas.
During the launch, several children received vaccination doses in the presence of Minister of Public Health and Population Dr. Qassem Bahibeh. In his speech, the Prime Minister emphasized that the campaign aligns with the government’s priorities to protect children’s health and combat epidemic diseases. He conveyed greetings from the President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Dr. Rashad Mohammed Al-Alimi, and assured full support for the health sector.
The Prime Minister urged all state institutions and local authorities to actively engage with the campaign and support its success. He described vaccination as a “national and humanitarian duty” and encouraged parents to cooperate with field teams and adhere to routine vaccinations. He also highlighted the crucial role of the media in raising awareness and promoting vaccination culture.
The Prime Minister noted that Yemen had been free of polio until recent infections emerged due to Houthi militia restrictions on vaccinations in their controlled areas. He stressed that expanding vaccination campaigns is a national priority to eradicate the disease once again.
The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to health workers in the field, the WHO, UNICEF, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center, and health sector partners. He called for intensified efforts to deliver vaccines to all provinces without exception.
Minister of Health Dr. Qassem Bahibeh acknowledged the significant efforts of health teams despite challenging conditions. He expressed hope for broad coverage that meets the scale of the challenges and appreciated the role of international supporters.
The UNICEF representative and the acting WHO representative reaffirmed their commitment to providing technical and logistical support to enhance Yemen’s response to disease outbreaks.
The launch event featured awareness segments presented by students from Lisa School. Several officials attended, including Dr. Khader Lsoor, President of Aden University, and various health ministry officials.
This campaign marks a critical step in safeguarding the health of Yemen’s children and combating the resurgence of polio in the region.
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