South Sudan conducts nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting 3.9 million children

Juba – Asinti Suzan, a 28-year-old first time mother of twins living in the New Site neighborhood of Yei Town, was pleasantly surprised when two women wearing green jackets and carrying what looked like a box (vaccines carrier) approached her home on the morning of 22 October. They were vaccinators going from house to house to vaccinate children against polio. When the team introduced themselves and explained why they had come, Suzan felt excited and relieved. As a new mother, she was eager to ensure that her seven-month-old twins received the vaccine and were protected against the disease. “When I heard the news, I rushed inside to tell my husband about the visitors and the need to have our twins vaccinated. He agreed without hesitation, ” Suzan said. Her husband, Bosco, also expressed his excitement. “As parents, protecting our children is very important to us We had waited a long time for vaccinators to reach our neighborhood. Now they have arrived, just few months after our children were born. We consider our children lucky to have received the polio vaccine, ” Sebit said South Sudan is conducting a nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting approximately 3. 9 million children aged 0–59 months as part of efforts to stop transmission of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus types 1 and 2. The Ministry of Health is leading the campaign with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and other partners. Vaccination teams are administering novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) and bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to protect children against the circulating viruses type 1 and type 2 respectively. The campaign is responding to concurrent outbreaks of both poliovirus types. As of 19 October 2026, South Sudan had confirmed 18 cVDPV1 from acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases and 4 cVDPV2 from AFP cases. The update also reported two cVDPV1 isolates and two cVDPV2 isolates from environmental surveillance samples. The nationwide first round was scheduled for 13–16 October 2026, with implementation staggered in some locations because of operational and logistical challenges. By 19 October, 73 counties had completed the first round, 6 counties were still implementing, and 1 county had not yet started due to access challenge. A total of over 3. 3 million children under five, representing 84 percent of the reported national target of 3. 8 million, had received both nOPV2 and bOPV. The second round is planned for November 2026. South Sudan faces a complex humanitarian crisis marked by insecurity, population displacement and hard-to-reach communities, making it difficult to reach every eligible child. Despite these challenges, polio teams, health workers and volunteers are working door-to-door to reach children in remote villages and settlements and to identify children missed during initial vaccination activities. Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus can emerge when the weakened virus contained in oral polio vaccine circulates for an extended period in under-immunized populations. This underscores the importance of achieving and sustaining high vaccination coverage. Repeated vaccination with the recommended oral polio vaccines protects children and helps stop transmission of both wild and circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses. “South Sudan remains committed and determined to stopping polio transmission and protecting every child. The ongoing vaccination campaign demonstrates our determination to turn that commitment into reality, ” said Dr Chol Makur Aciek, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health. “For these efforts to yield results, we need the support of every parent, guardian and community. We thank those who have already had their children vaccinated and urge all families to seize this opportunity to ensure that every child under five receives the oral polio vaccines, so that together we can stop poliovirus transmission. ” Dr Moses Ongom, WHO Representative for South Sudan Officer-in-Charge, expressed appreciation for the continued commitment of the Government, partners and other stakeholders in the fight against polio. “Our shared goal of eradicating polio in South Sudan is within reach, and with the level of commitment and effort being demonstrated, we can achieve it sooner rather than later, ” he said. These interventions have been made possible with the generous support of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and donors (including King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Center, Rotary International, Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, the Gates Foundation, and European Investment Bank). GPEI support to South Sudan represents a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach that includes vaccination, surveillance, campaign monitoring, community engagement and support to the health system. About nOPV2: The novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) is a new tool designed to address the evolving challenges of the polio endgame. It is specifically intended for use in responding to circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreaks and is more genetically stable than the traditional monovalent OPV2. About bOPV: The bivalent oral poliovirus vaccine (bOPV) is a live-attenuated vaccine that provides targeted active immunization against poliovirus serotypes 1 and 3. Administered as oral drops, it works by inducing robust mucosal immunity in the intestines, making it a critical tool for halting person-to-person viral transmission Media contacts Mr Atem John Ajang Communication Officer Mobile: +211 921736375 Email: atema@who. int RUTAREMARA Alice Communications officer Emaill: rutaremaraa@who. int

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