Using GIS to Support Polio Vaccination in Africa

The World Health Organization was looking for two GIS professionals to serve as volunteers during the months of December 2017 and January 2018 to contribute to a pilot project in Mogadishu, Somalia. The project’s objective was to map every built-up structure in specific areas that have been identified as being at high risk for polio outbreaks.

Since January, Adam McKay and I have been involved in three polio campaigns in Africa (Somalia, DRC and Horn of Africa). Our expertise has been used to prepare the data (vector and high resolution imagery) and set up the Esri web mapping application used during the WHO Polio Campaigns.

The web app is a tool for mapping built-up structures based on high resolution imagery. The resulting dataset is essential for strategic planning both before and after outbreak response campaigns, as well as to strengthen and update existing microplans.