In Ethiopia’s drought-affected districts, measles outbreaks pose a significant threat to vulnerable populations, particularly children. To mitigate this risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) supported a comprehensive and integrated measles vaccination campaign across 38 woredas (16 woredas in Somali, 19 in Oromia, and 3 in South Ethiopia), reaching over 5,308 children who were either under or unvaccinated. This intervention was crucial in reducing the risk of a measles outbreak, as it targets areas with high vulnerability due to frequent droughts and population mobility.

The integrated measles vaccination campaign, which ran between January and March focused on children under five years old, integrated catch-up vaccination with essential nutrition services to address both immediate and long-term health needs. WHO worked in close collaboration with UNICEF to provide technical support for the successful implementation of the campaign, with financial support from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). Integrating zero dose vaccination with campaigns like this is one of the strategies outlined in the country’s BCU operational guide. This guide was developed following the broader Big Catch-Up initiative, a global effort aimed at accelerating vaccination coverage for children who missed routine immunizations due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, and other emergencies.

A total of 441,794 children out of the target 444,557 (99%) received the measles vaccine. Notably, the campaign identified and vaccinated 2,574 children who had never received any immunizations and 2,734 who were under-vaccinated. Additionally, over 259,286 children were screened for nutritional status, further integrating essential health services to strengthen overall child health in these vulnerable areas.

The integrated measles vaccination campaign, part of the CERF supported project, aimed to enhance measles vaccination coverage across 38 selected drought-affected and drought-prone woredas. Through this initiative, WHO supported the Government of Ethiopia to bolster the capacity of health workers and the overall health system. This included training frontline health workers, expanding outreach to hard-to-reach communities impacted by both drought and service interruptions, raising community awareness, and strengthening the overall monitoring and supervision of health services. 

Prior to the implementation, a woreda-level microplanning workshop was conducted to capacitate health workers for the implementation of the vaccination program. These workshops were instrumental in enabling the health workers to deliver essential services effectively, playing a key role in improving immunization coverage and reducing the risk of measles outbreaks in these areas. 

Daily team supervision and on spot checks were conducted by WHO, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Regional Health Bureau (RHB), and partners. The supervision was facilitated using a mobile based open data kit (ODK) checklist, which allowed for real-time monitoring and quick responses to challenges. Monitoring data from the Somali region revealed strong community awareness, with 98.54% of caregivers understanding the target age group for vaccination, 99.12% being aware of the vaccination dates, 87% receiving information about potential adverse events following immunization (AEFI), and 99% of mothers knowing the location of the vaccination post.

WHO has been instrumental in supporting immunization activities in Ethiopia through providing technical assistance, training health workers, and strengthening vaccination delivery systems. In collaboration with the government and partners, WHO has helped implement large-scale campaigns, including the Big Catch-Up initiative, to address vaccination gaps, especially in areas affected by emergencies. Additionally, WHO supports the procurement of vaccines, enhances disease surveillance, and improves monitoring systems to ensure timely responses to outbreaks. These efforts have over the years contributed to increasing immunization coverage and protecting children from preventable diseases across Ethiopia.