Baghdad, 3 March 2015 – A national polio vaccination campaign commenced in Iraq on 22 February 2015 aiming to reach 5.9 million children under five years old regardless of their previous vaccination status. In the Kurdistan region of Iraq, children from 9 months to 5 years will also be given a measles vaccine, in addition to the oral polio vaccine.
In March 2014, the Ministry of Health of Iraq declared a polio outbreak when a child in the Al-Rusafa area in the capital Baghdad was diagnosed with polio. This was the first case detected in Iraq after the country had succeeded in stopping transmission of the virus in 2000. In recognition of the risk of further spread, federal and regional governments, along with United Nations agencies, conducted emergency vaccination campaigns to reach 5.9 million children under 5 in 2014.
The current nationwide immunization campaign, supported by WHO and UNICEF in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health and Ministry of Health of the Kurdistan region, will send 24 996 vaccinators house to house across the whole of Iraq to reach every child.
“I would like to acknowledge the leadership and commitment of the Federal and Kurdistan Regional Government to conduct this national mass immunization campaign following a remarkable and successful response to the polio outbreak in Iraq last year,” said Dr Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Iraq. “The country faces significant risks and thus has been categorized by international polio experts as one of the countries at highest risk of polio in the Middle East. Measles on the other hand is endemic in Iraq and is a leading cause of death among children,” Dr Hussain added.
Mr Philippe Heffinck, acting UNICEF Iraq Representative, remarked, "The world is on the verge of eradicating one of the most feared diseases of the past century. The polio outbreak in the Middle East saw children paralyzed in Syria and Iraq, and threatened this goal. However, even in the midst of overlaid humanitarian crisis, swift action and solid support from the Iraqi and KRG ministries of health, and with the collective support of partners such as WHO, Iraq has been polio free ten months."
Emphasis has been put on reaching vulnerable populations across all areas of Iraq, including internally displaced persons, refugees, people living in dense urban areas and minorities. Insecurity has hampered the access of vaccination teams to children in a few areas around the Kirkuk and Salah Aldin governorates. To ensure that Iraq remains polio free, after the last confirmed case of wild poliovirus was verified on 7 April 2014, it is imperative that all children are reached with oral polio vaccine.
Polio is a devastating disease that causes permanent disability and hits the most vulnerable children who are poor, marginalized or otherwise underserved. The disease remains endemic in only three countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria – but as long as polio exists anywhere, outbreaks will continue to occur. Iraq’s emergency outbreak response, as part of the larger regional outbreak response, helped to contain the spread of this highly infectious and incurable virus in the Region and moved the world closer to being polio free.
For further information, please contact:
Ms Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
WHO Iraq Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+964 7510 101 469
Ms Pauline Ajello
Communications and Donors’ Relegations Officer
WHO Iraq Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+964 7809 288 618
Mr Jeffrey Bates
Chief of Communications and Strategic Partnerships UNICEF Iraq
+964 7801 964 524
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Baghdad, 3 March 2015 – A national polio vaccination campaign commenced in Iraq on 22 February 2015 aiming to reach 5.9 million children under five years old regardless of their previous vaccination status. In the Kurdistan region of Iraq, children from 9 months to 5 years will also be given a measles vaccine, in addition to the oral polio vaccine.
In March 2014, the Ministry of Health of Iraq declared a polio outbreak when a child in the Al-Rusafa area in the capital Baghdad was diagnosed with polio. This was the first case detected in Iraq after the country had succeeded in stopping transmission of the virus in 2000. In recognition of the risk of further spread, federal and regional governments, along with United Nations agencies, conducted emergency vaccination campaigns to reach 5.9 million children under 5 in 2014.
The current nationwide immunization campaign, supported by WHO and UNICEF in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health and Ministry of Health of the Kurdistan region, will send 24 996 vaccinators house to house across the whole of Iraq to reach every child.
“I would like to acknowledge the leadership and commitment of the Federal and Kurdistan Regional Government to conduct this national mass immunization campaign following a remarkable and successful response to the polio outbreak in Iraq last year,” said Dr Jaffar Hussain, WHO Representative and Head of Mission in Iraq. “The country faces significant risks and thus has been categorized by international polio experts as one of the countries at highest risk of polio in the Middle East. Measles on the other hand is endemic in Iraq and is a leading cause of death among children,” Dr Hussain added.
Mr Philippe Heffinck, acting UNICEF Iraq Representative, remarked, "The world is on the verge of eradicating one of the most feared diseases of the past century. The polio outbreak in the Middle East saw children paralyzed in Syria and Iraq, and threatened this goal. However, even in the midst of overlaid humanitarian crisis, swift action and solid support from the Iraqi and KRG ministries of health, and with the collective support of partners such as WHO, Iraq has been polio free ten months."
Emphasis has been put on reaching vulnerable populations across all areas of Iraq, including internally displaced persons, refugees, people living in dense urban areas and minorities. Insecurity has hampered the access of vaccination teams to children in a few areas around the Kirkuk and Salah Aldin governorates. To ensure that Iraq remains polio free, after the last confirmed case of wild poliovirus was verified on 7 April 2014, it is imperative that all children are reached with oral polio vaccine.
Polio is a devastating disease that causes permanent disability and hits the most vulnerable children who are poor, marginalized or otherwise underserved. The disease remains endemic in only three countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria – but as long as polio exists anywhere, outbreaks will continue to occur. Iraq’s emergency outbreak response, as part of the larger regional outbreak response, helped to contain the spread of this highly infectious and incurable virus in the Region and moved the world closer to being polio free.
For further information, please contact:
Ms Ajyal Sultany
Communications Officer
WHO Iraq Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+964 7510 101 469
Ms Pauline Ajello
Communications and Donors’ Relegations Officer
WHO Iraq Office
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
+964 7809 288 618
Mr Jeffrey Bates
Chief of Communications and Strategic Partnerships UNICEF Iraq
+964 7801 964 524
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
