When vaccine-derived poliovirus was detected in Mwanza’s environment, health partners mobilized fast—not just to vaccinate, but to listen. A rapid social diagnostics study helped uncover both strengths and gaps: high vaccine coverage and trust in health workers, but persistent myths, hygiene risks, and vulnerable groups. Now, insights from this study are guiding smarter, more integrated risk communication and WASH efforts across the region.
In Nigeria’s Kebbi State, a father’s personal heartbreak became a turning point in rebuilding community trust in immunization. This story reveals how a dedicated Volunteer Community Mobilizer transformed vaccine refusal into advocacy—underscoring the power of empathy, resilience, and community-based SBC approaches in outbreak contexts.
In the Horn of Africa, where families regularly move across porous borders in search of work, trade, and safety, polio doesn’t stop at checkpoints. In recent years, Ethiopia has faced recurring outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), often linked to virus transmission across borders shared with Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Uganda. Reaching these mobile and border populations is now a frontline priority in the country’s polio eradication strategy.
In Ethiopia, the fight against polio is both a public health challenge and a community-led journey. Despite past progress, variant poliovirus outbreaks have re-emerged, particularly in regions affected by conflict or limited access to routine health services. In response, the government—alongside UNICEF and partners—has intensified nationwide vaccination campaigns focused on reaching every last child. In the village of Mekan-Endamekoni in Tigray, this mission is personal. For 34-year-old Azmera Berhe, it’s a commitment rooted in experience, resilience, and hope.
In Djibouti’s arid north, reaching every child with life-saving vaccines is no simple task. The remote village of Gadid, tucked into the rocky foothills of the Obock region, lies far beyond paved roads or regular health services. Here, the nearest clinic may be a full day’s journey away—and many children grow up without ever being seen by the formal health system. But during the April 2025 national polio campaign, a mobile vaccination team set out to change that reality. Their goal was not only to deliver oral polio drops, but to identify and reach the most vulnerable children, especially
Nestled at the foot of Mount Moussa Ali in northern Djibouti, the village of Adgueno is one of many hard-to-reach communities scattered across the country’s mountainous and desert terrain. Here, more than 70 kilometers from the nearest health sub-prefecture in Alaili Dada, families often live without consistent access to health care—making children especially vulnerable to preventable diseases like polio. In April 2025, the national polio campaign presented a rare opportunity to change that. Thanks to coordinated planning, strong leadership, and unwavering field commitment, health teams
In the arid and remote wadis of Dadato Weima and Andoli, in Alaili Dada district, health services rarely reach the nomadic families who move seasonally with their herds. With the closest health post nearly 40 kilometers away, many children are born and raised far from any medical support—missing out on lifesaving vaccines and basic care. But in April 2025, during the first round of Djibouti’s polio vaccination campaign, that changed.
In May 2025, over forty frontline workers, provincial health managers, social mobilizers, and communication specialists from across Afghanistan convened at the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) in Kabul for an ambitious two-day co-design workshop. Their goal: co-developing a national Digital Community Engagement (DCE) strategy tailored to Afghanistan’s complex socio-cultural and operational landscape—a strategy that is now undergoing final review and approval.
The 2025 Digital Community Engagement (DCE) Strategy Workshop brought together UNICEF teams and partners to refine strategies for combating vaccine misinformation and boosting confidence through digital channels. DCE, a core extension of SBC efforts, uses real-time social listening, rapid response, and trusted digital voices to counter false narratives and reach communities effectively. The workshop emphasized practical skills—from anticipating misinformation to crafting localized responses—and reinforced the importance of community-led digital mobilization. As DCE scales up, it remains
In turbulent times, frontline workers and communities in Guinea, Niger, and Mozambique are driving progress, while global partners strengthen efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan. As we mark International Women’s Day, explore the stories of women leading the fight against polio.
