Drop by drop: Immunisation campaign protects children from polio in Yemen

It is estimated that in Yemen, a child dies every 10 minutes from vaccine-preventable diseases. This is despite vaccination being among the safest and most cost-effective health interventions to protect children from diseases such as polio.

In its efforts to keep Yemen polio-free, UNICEF, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and with the support of the World Bank, launched a door-to-door immunisation campaign across 14 Yemeni governorates in May, vaccinating millions and also offering children a vitamin A supplement.

From 29 to 31 May, almost 15,000 two-person vaccination teams from WHO and UNICEF were mobilised, with 3,791,511 children under the age of five vaccinated over three days: an impressive figure that covers 89% of the total campaign target. Of those, 20% were under a year old (725,908 children).

Just over three million children under five also received a vitamin A supplement (79% of the total target), while in addition to the millions of polio vaccines that were administered, 11,607 children were also vaccinated against measles.

Vaccines are safe and rumours a destructive weapon

Various challenges come together in Yemen – a mix of poverty and conflict, combined with its location as a migrant route to other Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia – that make the country particularly vulnerable to the spread of certain infectious diseases, explains Dr. Amin Hobeish, Director of the Health Office in Al Mahwit Governorate. He explains that the supplementary polio immunisation campaign was carried out on the recommendation of experts given the fact that the disease is circulating in some neighbouring countries.

“Given the situation in Yemen, there is a high probability that polio will spread due to the movement of African migrants traveling to Gulf countries through Yemen”, he says. “This makes Yemen more vulnerable to the transmission of this virus.” The campaign is part of the precautionary, preventive action to boost childhood immunity.

“Immunisation in Yemen began decades ago and all those vaccinated were protected from a number of diseases. This shows that vaccines are safe and that there should be no concern about immunising children against life-threatening diseases,” he stresses.

He warns parents not to listen to rumours questioning the safety of vaccines. “Rumours are a destructive weapon that leave Yemeni children vulnerable to serious diseases and life-long disability or death,” he warns. “Only with immunisation and good care can we prevent diseases and ensure the safety and wellbeing of our children and future generations. These negative rumours are not based on any real evidence or scientific proof. They are simply falsehoods.”

The importance of immunisation awareness

Community awareness and citizen cooperation are the cornerstones of the supplementary polio immunisation campaign. And despite hesitancy among some families, the vast majority of homes visited as part of the campaign wanted to have their children vaccinated. In fact, of the 2,891,470 homes visited, just 21,894 families declined to vaccinate their children.

“People are cooperating and are aware of the importance of immunising their children,” Dr. Hobeish says, pointing out that “no parent wants to see their children disabled or lost to vaccine-preventable diseases.”

Polio prevention can only be achieved through vaccination, and immunisation programmes have proven to be effective in reducing serious childhood diseases such as this.

Othman Al-Nuzili, a resident of Al Mahwit City and a father of two children, says: “We have to vaccinate our children because they are our responsibility. Immunisation is essential to prevent fatal diseases and I no longer worry about my children’s health after getting them vaccinated.”

He adds that he has confidence in the vaccines and was himself vaccinated as a child. “And now, without fear, I make sure that my children are vaccinated as I do not believe in the unfounded rumours going around.”

“I’m thrilled that the immunisation team vaccinated my children against polio in order to boost their immunity against the virus,” he adds.

The decision to vaccinate children should not be second-guessed

The polio virus poses a serious threat to children under the age of five if they have not been vaccinated. Even though they provide protection for children against specific diseases, supplementary immunisation campaigns should not replace routine vaccinations that are provided by health facilities.

“Immunisation against polio is of paramount importance, and my children have been vaccinated by the immunisation team,” says Wael Ali Al-Shuwai’, a father of four who considers it “a religious, moral and humanitarian duty for parents to ensure that their children are properly immunised.”

Al-Shuwai’ adds that as well as having his children vaccinated against polio through the supplementary campaign, he also takes them to the local health facility for their routine vaccines to ensure they are protected against other childhood diseases. “The decision to vaccinate children should be taken without a second thought,” he says. “Vaccines work and this has been scientifically proven. Parents should never fail to vaccinate their children.”

Immunisation programmes and campaigns are a vital part of saving children’s lives. During the period between January and February 2021, 133,215 children under one year of age were vaccinated against 11 types of vaccine-preventable diseases in Yemen, while 114,156 children under one year of age were vaccinated against measles and rubella. According to UNICEF, the total number of vaccines administered amounted to 19,992,050 doses during 2020 and 2021.