Yemen launches new polio vaccination campaign

The Yemeni ministry of health launched a new polio vaccination campaign, Monday, funded by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank.

The campaign was launched during a ceremony held in the health complex in the city of Khormaksar, Aden province, south attended by the health minister, Nasser Baoum and representatives from the WHO and UNICEF, Turkey’s Anadolu news agency reported.

“The campaign targets more than 5.5 million children under the age of five, including those who had previously received immunizations,” the health minister said, adding that the campaign was “precautionary” because Yemen has been free of polio since 2006.

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He pointed out that the campaign will include all the provinces in Yemen, including those controlled by Houthis.

According to the minister, the campaign will be implemented through health centres, schools and temporary sites by fixed and mobile vaccination teams.

The Yemeni minister has also stressed that the difficult conditions experienced by the country because of the ongoing war have contributed to further deteriorate the environmental and health situation there.