The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said nearly 70 million children in high-risk areas in seven African countries have been vaccinated since the beginning of the year.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti disclosed this on Thursday, October 24, 2024 in her message commemorating this year’s World Polio Day.
Moeti who commended the continent’s stride in eliminating the Polio scourge stated that the region reached significant milestones this year, “including the notable success of Madagascar, which has now gone a full year without detecting circulating variant poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1).
“In Southern Africa, we marked the closure of the imported wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak that was declared in 2022. The swift and coordinated efforts of Malawi, Mozambique, and neighboring countries Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe also inspire optimism.
“These achievements highlight the strength of joint action, the resilience of our communities, and the unwavering dedication of frontline health workers”, she said.
The WHO Regional Director further informed that Polio virus detections in the Africa Region decreased when compared to that of 2023:
“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”, she said.
Moeti however stated, “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).
“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 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”.
Recounting some of the successes recorded in the region, Moeti said:
“This year, our 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).
“In Southern Africa, we marked the closure of the imported wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak that was declared in 2022. The swift and coordinated efforts of Malawi, Mozambique, and neighboring countries Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe also inspire optimism.
“These achievements highlight the strength of joint action, the resilience of our communities, and the unwavering dedication of frontline health workers”.
Concluding her message, the Regional Director stated that a strong political commitment was crucial to the fight against polio.
She further stated that vigilance was also critical, “we need to enhance surveillance, especially in underserved areas, and accelerate our response to any new detections. Equally important is the need to scale up high-quality vaccination campaigns.
“The rapid advancement of polio diagnostics and sequencing technologies is another significant step forward in our eradication efforts and beyond. Thanks to ongoing trainings across Africa, especially in South Africa, Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya, laboratory capacity has grown.
“This allows for faster identification and response to outbreaks. I would like to commend these improvements, while urging us to keep up this momentum, particularly in adapting new methods to detect poliovirus earlier and more efficiently.
“Our goals are clear. We must remain vigilant through robust surveillance systems, respond rapidly with high quality vaccination campaigns, improve routine immunization coverage, and ensure that the polio program’s infrastructure continues to benefit other public health priorities. Progress is real, but setbacks can occur when we lose vigilance.
“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.
