PM Hamza Chairs First Meeting of National Immunisation and Polio Eradication Committee

MOGADISHU (SONNA) – The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Hamza Abdi Barre, on Wednesday chaired the first meeting of the National Immunisation and Polio Eradication Committee (SIPE) since its official establishment.

The meeting brought together representatives from the Ministries of Health, Education and Finance, Federal Member States, and health partners, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi, Africa CDC and the Gates Foundation.

Discussions focused on strengthening child health services, expanding vaccination coverage to children who have not yet received immunisation, eradicating polio and increasing domestic financing. Participants also emphasised the importance of cooperation between government institutions and development partners to ensure that every Somali child has access to essential health services.

Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Hamza stressed the need for accountability in efforts to eradicate polio, saying that every budget allocated to vaccination must deliver measurable results and ensure that vaccines reach every child through a transparent system.

He said performance should be assessed based on the number of children reached and the quality of services delivered.

The Prime Minister further noted that the Joint Executive Committee on Immunisation would be held accountable for the number of children reached, the disease outbreaks prevented and the extent to which Somali children can easily access essential vaccines.

During the meeting, presentations were delivered by Gavi, UNICEF, the Gates Foundation, Africa CDC, the Ministry of Health, the Office of the Prime Minister and representatives of the Federal Member States.

The meeting concluded with the approval of a six-month work plan for the Joint Executive Committee, outlining the responsibilities of participating institutions and implementation timelines.

Participants also agreed to strengthen domestic financing, improve inter-ministerial coordination and enhance accountability among international partners.