Conflicts, drought and displacement have put more than 3.6 million children under 5 at risk as their immunities are running dangerously low and vulnerabilities are on the rise with every passing day.
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Nigeria + 9 more
Over 80 million reached as Africa trailblazes novel polio vaccine
Given the urgent public health need to address vaccine-derived polio globally, nOPV2 became the first vaccine to receive authorization for use under Emergency Use Listing (EUL).
At least 33,000 children in parts of Tigray, Ethiopia, at imminent risk of death as conflict increases famine threat
Increased funding from donors is urgently needed in order for UNICEF to reach every child across the region with critical health, nutrition, water, sanitation, education, and protection services.
Poliovirus type 3 outbreak in Somalia declared over
A full 28 months after the strain was last detected, the end of the outbreak shows what can be achieved with high-quality vaccination campaigns, on-the-ground leadership and sensitive surveillance measures.
World + 14 more
Conflict threatens global health security as children miss out on life-saving vaccines
"Not Immune: Children in Conflict" shines a spotlight on the harrowing impact of war on the immunisation of children and calls for urgent global action to protect children from preventable diseases.
Children missing out on routine vaccinations in Somalia amid COVID-19 fears
A joint analysis of WHO and UNICEF country offices shows that by end-June, an estimated 108,000 under-one-year-olds in Somalia might have missed out on their first dose of measles vaccines.
While COVID-19 response dominates Somali health concerns, polio fight continues
Since the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed, the polio programme has fought it from the ground up. WHO explains: “No other health programme has comparable expertise to serve the Somali population."
World + 24 more
Spread of polio still an international public health concern - WHO
There were 28 cases of wild poliovirus 1 (WPVI) in 2018, compared to 113 as at mid-December last year, "with no significant success yet in reversing this trend."
Niger + 2 more
Quality immunization and surveillance help stop polio outbreaks in three African countries
While Kenya, Mozambique and Niger have curbed polio outbreaks, response activities with high-quality immunization campaigns and disease surveillance can stop the remaining outbreaks in the region, WHO says.
Up to five million Somalis require humanitarian assistance
Much of Somalia's recent past has been marked by recurrent humanitarian needs linked to climatic shocks, armed conflict, protracted and continued displacement.
Campaign launched to vaccinate 1.7 million Somali children
The five-day campaign, running from 24 to 28 November, will target children under the age of five with polio vaccines and children aged six to 59 months with measles vaccines.
Ethiopia + 1 more
Ethiopia, Somalia launch synchronized cross-border campaign to fight polio
The target areas are Puntland and most regions in Somaliland and five zones of Somali region respectively. This makes the total target 1.6 million (Somalia 1.1 million and Ethiopia 586,511).
Urgent need to scale up routine immunization programme in Somalia
In the past decade, Somali health authorities and WHO worked with partners to strengthen routine immunization, protecting 2.4m children against 8 vaccine-preventable diseases.
World + 40 more
Acute hunger still affecting more than 100 million people worldwide
A global report on food crises finds that about 113 million people in 53 countries experienced acute food insecurity in 2018, compared with 124 million in 2017.
Dry conditions worsen across Somalia, escalating displacement
The number of people in IPC 2 rose by more than 10% from to 3,392,000. The situation is expected to deteriorate if aid is not scaled up in the worst-hit areas and if the next rains are poor.
World + 52 more
Global humanitarian appeal seeks $21.9 billion to help 94 million people in 2019
The UN and its partners aim to assist 93.6 million of the most vulnerable with food, shelter, health care, emergency education, protection and other basic assistance, according to the GHO.
Bold steps taken - and still needed - to save Somali children from polio
UNICEF, WHO, health authorities and partners are working tirelessly to stop two concurrent outbreaks of vaccine-derived polioviruses that were confirmed late in 2017 in Somalia.
Strengthening Somalia’s health systems to boost immunization
With extensive support from Gavi, routine immunization services to children and women are being offered through Somali authorities, WHO, UNICEF and partners.
Nigeria + 15 more
Nearly 3 million people in Lake Chad region face severe food shortages
Nigeria, Chad and Niger account for three-quarters of the population facing severe food insecurity, in particular communities in north-western Chad, where those facing crisis levels of food insecurity has more than doubled.
Zimbabwe + 9 more
Expected sharp fall in southern African maize production raises food security concerns
The early production forecast for maize - a staple food throughout the subregion - is about 21.1 million tonnes in 2015, 15 percent lower than the average for the last five years, FAO says.