Photo essay

National immunization campaign against Polio

The campaign targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt

Karim Hamed
National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Ahmed Emad
20 December 2021

UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) rolled out a nationwide campaign against Polio, with thanks to generous contributions from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Egypt received 20.8 million doses of the advanced Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), with the support of WHO and UNICEF.

National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Mohamed Ragaa Ibrahim from Syria who’s just above 4 years old merrily told us that he wants to take the Polio vaccine in order to grow healthier
National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Mohamed Ragaa And for Engie, the twin sister of Ibrahim said that she “wasn’t scared from taking the vaccine and she would tell her friends at the nursery to take the vaccine as well.”
National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Ahmed Emad Dr. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Acting Health Minister for Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) explained that the campaign aims to vaccinate 16.5 million children through 45,000 teams comprising 90,000 members, who underwent training courses to accomplish the tasks of vaccination optimally, in addition to supervisory teams at all levels in the ministry, directorates, health departments and medical districts. Dr. Abdel-Ghaffar added that the campaign is free of charge and that the vaccine used is the oral Polio vaccine, whereby children are vaccinated with two drops in the mouth, to protect them from this highly contagious disease that causes lifelong disability.
National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Ahmed Emad Dr. Naeema Al Gasseer, Representative of WHO in Egypt and Head of Mission said: WHO is pleased with the arrival of 20.8 million doses of nOPV2 to protect all the children living in Egypt including refugees and migrants. WHO has been supporting the Ministry of Health and Population technically in all Polio preparedness and response activities including capacity building to be ready for the upcoming nationwide vaccination led by MoHP. WHO continues to work diligently with national health authorities and all partners to protect everyone living in Egypt to sustain Egypt Polio-free since 2006,” Al Gasseer, Representative of WHO in Egypt and Head of Mission said.
National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Ahmed Emad “I am very glad to see the arrival of more than 20 million doses of this advanced Polio vaccines. UNICEF facilitated the delivery of these safe and efficient vaccines and provided technical support to the Ministry of Health and Population and, I am confident that this national vaccination campaign of all children in Egypt will help the country stay Polio-free in the future”, said Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in Egypt.”
National immunization campaign against Polio targets more than 16.5 million under-5 children living in Egypt.
UNICEF/Egypt 2022/Ahmed Emad On a parallel front, UNICEF developed a nationwide SMS interactive campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and the Ministry of Health and Population, to ensure that around 8,500 million families of children under 5 years of age are well informed about the polio campaign. The Ministry of Health and Population made all efforts to ensure that the national vaccination campaign is reaching out to all children residing in Egypt of all backgrounds and nationalities to ensure that all children living in Egypt are protected from polio

Related topics

More to explore

Article

Karma and the Caravans of Care

New medical caravans expand access to healthcare for children and families in North Sinai, including those affected by the Gaza crisis

Read now
Press release
10 June 2026

UNICEF Renews Partnership with Donia Samir Ghanem as UNICEF Egypt Ambassador

Read now
Article

United Efforts

Renewing Health and Hope in North Sinai

Read now
Article

For Healthier and Resilient Generations

Strengthening healthcare systems in Egypt

Read now