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 undertook a special outreach mission to protect the children of Adgueno and nearby hamlets—many of whom had never received a single vaccine.