Ethiopia Intensifies Polio Prevention in Cross-Border and Refugee Communities

Ethiopia conducted a synchronized polio vaccination campaign with South Sudan using the bivalent Oral Polio vaccine (bOPV) and reached over one million children under five years in high-risk border areas and refugee camps, as part of urgent efforts to prevent cross-border transmission of the variant polio virus from neighboring South Sudan. The vaccination campaign, implemented from 7 to 10 May 2026, covered Gambella and Benishangul-Gumuz regions as well as West Wollega and Kelem Wollega zones of Oromia Region. The intervention followed the detection of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) in South Sudan in March and April 2026, including cases identified close to the Ethiopian border, heightening the risk of importation to Ethiopian communities. Given the porous borders and frequent population movements between the two countries, particularly among traders, pastoralists, and refugee populations, the health authorities moved swiftly to reinforce interventions to prevent further spread.