ADDIS ABABA, 25 October (IRIN) - Ethiopia launched its biggest ever polio vaccination campaign on Thursday as it was revealed that the country is almost totally free of the virus.

More than 14 million children are to be targeted in the final immunisation in Ethiopia in which more than 74,000 volunteers will take part. The Ethiopian army has also been mobilised to help with the campaign in areas which are deemed insecure.

"It is the largest mass immunisation thus far in this country," World Health Organisation representative Angela Benson said at the launch.

It also emerged that no cases of wild poliovirus had occurred in Ethiopia for the last 20 months since January 2001 - a major breakthrough for the country.

To be certified polio-free, a country must have no cases of the virus for three years. A target of 2005 has been set for the global eradication of the disease.

"Significant progress has been achieved," said Ibrahim Jabr, the head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Ethiopia.

"The clock is ticking for Ethiopia to be certified polio-free by the 2005 target set for global eradication of this tragic disease," he added.