Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health and Population, in collaboration with WHO and UNICEF, has launched the second round of a nationwide polio vaccination campaign in government-controlled areas. The three-day drive, starting on 29 September 2025, aims to immunize more than 1.3 million children under the age of five against poliovirus.
This campaign follows the first round held in July 2025 and comes as part of intensified efforts to stop the spread of variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). Since 2021, Yemen has recorded 451 confirmed cases, with nearly all infections affecting children below five years. In 2025 alone, 29 cases have been reported, highlighting the urgent need for sustained immunization efforts.
Nearly 15,000 health workers are engaged in the campaign, working through door-to-door visits and fixed vaccination sites, supported by around 1,000 supervisors. Officials stressed that such large-scale mobilization is critical to reaching children in both urban and remote communities.
Dr. Syed Jaffer Hussain, WHO Representative in Yemen, emphasized that this second round is vital to closing immunity gaps and stopping virus transmission. UNICEF’s Representative Peter Hawkins highlighted the importance of ensuring every child, including those in hard-to-reach areas, receives protection.
Supported by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, WHO and UNICEF reaffirmed their commitment to Yemen’s polio eradication efforts while also strengthening routine immunization to safeguard the health of children nationwide.