Headlines 

GPEI Action Plan published

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) published its Action Plan – a comprehensive roadmap to streamline operations and sustain momentum toward a polio-free world in light of ongoing global reductions in development assistance.  The Action Plan, developed through extensive consultation and grounded in the latest data, sets out how GPEI will focus activities where they will have the greatest impact, making deliberate, sometimes challenging choices to minimize risk, safeguard hard-won gains, and maintain progress toward a polio-free world.  More.

TIME magazine includes hexavalent vaccines as part of its ‘Best Inventions of 2025’ list

Earlier this year, Senegal and Mauritania became the first two low-income countries to distribute lifesaving hexavalent vaccines. The six-in-one vaccine combines two vaccines currently supplied to low-income countries: a pentavalent vaccine that targets diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, and meningitis, as well as a separate polio vaccine. Because the hexavalent vaccine simplifies dosing schedules—it involves three injections rather than five spread across two vaccines—more young children will gain protection against polio in particular, according to Gavi, the global health organization that covered the majority of the vaccine’s costs in the two countries. Hexavalent vaccines have been in use in Europe and the U.S. for 25 and 13 years, respectively. It wasn’t fair that “lower-income countries have had to wait,” says Katy Clark, Gavi senior programme manager.

From polio survivor to vaccinator in Pakistan

Meet Masood Khan, and his inspiring story, of having polio himself to protecting others from this lifelong disease as a polio vaccinator, in Peshawar.

Rotary End Polio Now ambassador Anne W Strike raises awareness of polio and empower survivors through sport

Read the inspiring story of Anne Wafula Strike, Rotary End Polio Now ambassador, Paralympian and author, who is raising awareness, tackling stigma and empowering survivors through sport, in her native Kenya.

Against the odds:  Madagascar’s fragile polio story

An extensive, visually-driven story in Devex on Madagascar’s successful polio outbreak response.

Summary of new polioviruses this week: 

• • Afghanistan:  one WPV1 case
  • Pakistan:  32 WPV1-positive environmental samples
  • Algeria:  one cVDPV2-positive environmental sample
  • Angola:  one cVDPV2 case
  • Lao PDR:  one cVDPV1 case
  • Nigeria:  two cVDPV2 cases and two cVDPV2-positive environmental samples