The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that global efforts achieved a more than 99.9% decrease in polio cases since the landmark resolution for the worldwide eradication of polio was adopted in 1988 at the 41st World Health Assembly.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti disclosed this in her message to commemorate the 2022 World Polio Day.
Moeti informed that World Polio Day was marked annually on October 24, providing an opportunity to highlight global efforts toward a polio-free world, and to honour the unwavering commitment of those on the frontline of the fight to eradicate polio.
She said the theme for this year, “World Polio Day 2022 and Beyond: A healthier future for mothers and children”, kicked off with discussions in Geneva between WHO, Rotary International and polio experts, to consider future efforts to continue the decades-long collaboration against polio.
Highlighting some of the successes recorded since the fight against Polio started 34 years ago, the Health Expert said:
“Since the landmark resolution for the worldwide eradication of polio was adopted in 1988 at the 41st World Health Assembly, global efforts have achieved a more than 99.9% decrease in polio cases.
“As many as 20 million children have been spared disability and are walking today. Two of the three strains of wild poliovirus (Type 2 and Type 3) have been certified as eradicated, and in 2020 the African Region was certified as free of indigenous wild polio.
“This progress is admirable, and has safeguarded millions of children and their families from this crippling virus”.
She however noted that detections of new outbreaks, including in areas where polio was believed to have been eradicated, was a stark reminder that no child is safe anywhere until they deliver on the promise to eradicate all forms of polio, everywhere.
Moeti further opined that with the renewed financial commitment at the 2022 World Health Summit polio pledging event, they now had a critical opportunity to ramp up eradication efforts.
She also informed that at the end of the first quarter of 2022, WHO announced the successful closure of 32 outbreaks in 10 countries. However, there were ongoing outbreaks that demanded we stay vigilant and finish the job.
This, she said was critical for Africa to stamp out new cases of wild polio, as well as to safeguard its wild polio-free certification status.
