WHO Urges African Governments to Sustain Efforts in Polio Eradication

The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked governments in Africa to keep up the momentum in the effort to eradicate all forms of polio that cause paralysis and death for the people.

In a message by the Regional Director, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, to mark this year’s World Polio Day, the organisation said the region has reached significant milestones, including the notable success of Madagascar, which has now gone a full year without detecting circulating variant poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1).

She said that nearly 70 million children in high-risk areas have been vaccinated since the beginning of the year.

“World Polio Day finds us at a pivotal moment in our mission to eradicate polio. We are now closer than ever to a polio-free Africa, but much work remains.

“Our success is not just Africa’s – it is the world’s. With sustained momentum, strong leadership, and global solidarity, a polio-free future is within our reach. Together, we can attain a polio-free world,” she said.

WHO said the achievements highlighted the strength of joint action, the resilience of our communities, and the unwavering dedication of frontline health workers.

“Data equally bear out these results. When comparing them from 2023 and 2024 (as of 31 August for each year), cVDPV1 detections have decreased by 96%, while cVDPV2 detections have dropped by 65% in the African Region.

“It is important to recognize that the countries in the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel have also united to tackle a new and pressing challenge: the continued transmission of circulating variant polio type 2 (cVDPV2),” Moeti said.

The WHO regional director noted that despite substantial efforts, the virus persists in these regions fueled by factors like insecurity, limited access to healthcare, and high levels of population movement.

“In 2024 alone, 134 polio type 2 detections (both in the environment and in affected people, as of September 5th) have been reported jointly in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Niger and Nigeria. Strong political commitment is crucial to the fight against polio,” she said.

She said that government leaders, WHO, UNICEF, and other partners had joined forces in July and August 2024 to develop a coordination plan aimed at eradicating variant poliovirus in the above countries.

“As a result, nearly 70 million children in high-risk areas in those countries have been vaccinated since the beginning of the year,” she said.

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

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