WHO lauds Ethiopia’s Integration of Yellow Fever Vaccine

The World Health Organization (WHO) has commended Ethiopia for its recent approval of the life-saving yellow fever vaccine into the country’s routine immunization program.

“Ethiopia’s drive to Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics is aimed at safeguarding nearly one billion individuals globally against the deadly disease and eradicating its epidemics by the conclusion of 2026”, stated the WHO.

Nonhlanhla Dlamini, acting representative of WHO Ethiopia, emphasized the importance of introducing the yellow fever vaccine, heralding it as a milestone achievement to ensure vaccine availability and protect vulnerable populations within the country.

Dlamini highlighted WHO’s role in coordinating and supporting the government’s efforts, rallying multidisciplinary partners to provide necessary resources for the seamless integration of the yellow fever vaccine into Ethiopia’s routine immunization regimen.

The upcoming 7th Annual Partners’ Meeting of the Eliminate Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) strategy, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa from March 19 to 21, presents an opportunity for Ethiopia to glean insights from nations that have already adopted the yellow fever vaccine into their immunization schedules and conducted preventive vaccination campaigns, as reported by local media.

State Minister of Health Dereje Duguma underscored the importance of hosting the EYE Partners’ meeting in the wake of Ethiopia’s pivotal decision, emphasizing the nation’s readiness to leverage the experiences of other countries and solicit support from EYE partners to effectively execute the strategy domestically.

Yellow fever, a viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes, lacks a specific treatment and can have a case fatality rate ranging from 31 percent to 47 percent for severe cases.

The WHO emphasized the efficacy of a single dose of yellow fever vaccine in providing lifelong protection against the disease.