Outbreak response

28 February 2025, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva – A five-day mass polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip concluded on Wednesday, reaching nearly 603 000 children under 10 years of age with novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) following comprehensive, simultaneous access to all five governorates during the ongoing ceasefire. The campaign was conducted as part of emergency efforts to end an ongoing poliovirus outbreak and prevent further spread in the Gaza Strip.

During this round, an additional 40 000 children were vaccinated as compared to the previous two rounds conducted in September and October 2024, after poliovirus was detected in the Gaza Strip. The ceasefire enabled health workers to reach more children who had missed vaccinations due to displacement during the phased approach, living in areas that previously required special coordination for access, or being unreachable during the October 2024 round due to insecurity in North Gaza, including Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun.

Strong community engagement and awareness of vaccination benefits had maintained high immunization rates in the Gaza Strip, where 89% of children received the third dose of oral polio vaccine in 2023, before the conflict. This round drew upon 1660 vaccination teams, 1242 of which were mobile, and deployed 1242 social mobilizers. Despite bad weather conditions, families welcomed the initiative and brought their children to points where they could receive the polio vaccine.

The campaign was conducted by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and implemented with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), and other partners.

As part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s commitment to mount a robust poliovirus outbreak response, surveillance for disease in children and for virus circulation in the environment has also been intensified since July 2024. It was this timely surveillance that detected ongoing environmental circulation of the virus, and the need to conduct additional vaccination to protect children.

As the ceasefire provides an opportunity to resume critical public health functions, working to recover Gaza’s previously strong disease surveillance and routine immunization are the best ways to protect children from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Ending polio hinges on fully vaccinating every last child with polio vaccines. Ensuring uninterrupted access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and proper nutrition will protect children from many diseases including polio.

WHO, UNICEF and partners continue to call for a lasting ceasefire that leads to long-term health and peace.

17 February 2025, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva – The emergency polio outbreak response in the Gaza Strip is continuing, with a mass vaccination campaign scheduled from 22 to 26 February 2025. The novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) will be administered to over 591,000 children under 10 years of age to protect them from polio. This campaign follows the recent detection of poliovirus in wastewater samples in Gaza, signaling ongoing circulation in the environment, putting children at risk .

Pockets of individuals with low or no immunity provide the virus an opportunity to continue spreading and potentially cause disease. The current environment in Gaza, including overcrowding in shelters and severely damaged water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure, which facilitates fecal-oral transmission, create ideal conditions for further spread of poliovirus. Extensive population movement consequent to the current ceasefire is likely to exacerbate the spread of poliovirus infection.

Two previous vaccination rounds in the Gaza Strip were successfully conducted in September and October 2024, reaching over 95% of the target. As poliovirus is found to remain in the environment, additional vaccination efforts are needed to reach every child and strengthen population immunity. The presence of the virus still poses a risk to children with low or no immunity, in Gaza and throughout the region.

In 2024, health workers faced significant challenges accessing certain areas of central, north and south Gaza, which required special coordination to enter during the conflict. In inaccessible areas such as Jabalia, Beit Lahiya, and Beit Hanoun where humanitarian pauses for the vaccination campaign were not assured, approximately 7,000 children missed vaccination during the second round. The recent ceasefire means health workers have considerably better access now.

No additional polio cases have been reported since a ten-month-old child was paralyzed in August 2024, but the new environmental samples from Deir al Balah and Khan Younis, collected in December 2024 and January 2025, confirm poliovirus transmission. The strain detected is genetically linked to the poliovirus detected in the Gaza Strip in July 2024.

The upcoming vaccination campaign aims to reach all children under 10 years of age, including those previously missed, to close immunity gaps and end the outbreak. The use of the oral polio vaccine will help end this outbreak by preventing the spread of the virus. An additional polio vaccination round is planned to be implemented in April.

The campaign will be led by the Palestinian Ministry of Health and implemented with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and other partners.

Polio vaccines are safe and there is no maximum number of times a child should be vaccinated. Each dose gives additional protection which is needed during an active polio outbreak.

WHO, UNICEF, and partners welcome the recent ceasefire and urge for a lasting ceasefire that leads to long-term peace.

Notes to editors: 

More information on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and daily updates on the outbreak response campaign, are available here (on this link, please scroll down the page to the list of polio-affected countries and click on ‘occupied Palestinian territory’).

Second round of polio campaign in Gaza completed amid ongoing conflict and attacks: UNICEF and WHO:https://www.emro.who.int/opt/news/second-round-of-polio-campaign-in-gaza-completed-amid-ongoing-conflict-and-attacks-unicef-and-who.html

Sitrep: https://polioeradication.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ROUND-2-%E2%80%93-OUTBREAK-RESPONSE-SUMMARY.pdf

The second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was completed yesterday, with an overall 556 774 children under the age of 10 being vaccinated with a second dose of polio vaccine, and 448 425 children between 2- to 10-years-old receiving vitamin A, following the three phases conducted in the last weeks.

Administrative data confirm around 94% of the target population of 591 714 children under the age of 10 years received a second dose of nOPV2 across the Gaza Strip, which is a remarkable achievement given the extremely difficult circumstances the campaign was executed under. The campaign achieved 103% and 91% coverage in central and southern Gaza, respectively. However, in northern Gaza, where the campaign was compromised due to lack of access, approximately 88% coverage was achieved according to preliminary data. An estimated 7000-10 000 children in inaccessible areas like Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun remain unvaccinated and vulnerable to the poliovirus. This also increases the risk of further spread of poliovirus in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring countries.

The end of this second round concludes the polio vaccination campaign launched in September 2024. This round also took place in three phases across central, south and northern Gaza under area-specific humanitarian pauses. While the first two phases proceeded as planned, the third phase in northern Gaza had to be temporarily postponed on 23 October because of intense bombardments, mass displacements, lack of assured humanitarian pauses and access.

After careful assessment of the situation by the technical committee, comprising the Palestinian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the campaign resumed on 2 November. However, the area under the assured humanitarian pauses comprising the campaign was substantially reduced, compared to the first round, as the access was limited to Gaza City. Due to hostilities, more than 150 000 people were forced to evacuate from North Gaza to Gaza City, which helped in accessing more children than anticipated.

Despite these challenges, and thanks to the tremendous dedication, engagement and courage of parents, children, communities and health workers, the phase in northern Gaza was completed.

At least two doses and a minimum of 90% vaccination coverage are needed in each community to stop circulation of the polio strain affecting Gaza. Efforts will now continue to boost immunity levels through routine immunization services offered at functional health facilities and to strengthen disease surveillance to rapidly detect any further poliovirus transmission (either in affected children or in environmental samples). The evolving epidemiology will determine if further outbreak response may be necessary.

To fully implement surveillance and routine immunization services, not just for polio but for all vaccine-preventable diseases, WHO and UNICEF continue to call for a ceasefire. Further, apart from the attack on the primary healthcare centre, the campaign underscores what can be achieved with humanitarian pauses. These actions must be systematically applied beyond the polio emergency response efforts to other health and humanitarian interventions to respond to dire needs.

11 October 2024, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva – The second round of an emergency polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to start on 14 October 2024 in Gaza, to vaccinate an estimated 591 700 children under ten years of age with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) vaccine.

This follows a first round, which was successfully implemented from 1-12 September 2024 and vaccinated 559 161 children, or an estimated 95% of eligible children at governorate level, according to independently conducted post-campaign monitoring. As with the first round, the second round will have three phases, each involving three campaign days and one catch-up day.

A minimum of two doses of nOPV2 are needed to interrupt poliovirus transmission. However, this will only be achieved if at least 90% of all children are vaccinated in all communities and neighbourhoods. In this round, vitamin A will be co-administered alongside polio vaccine, to help boost overall immunity among children between the ages of two and nine years.

The campaign, being conducted by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), and other partners is part of emergency efforts to stop the polio outbreak in Gaza, which was detected on 16 July 2024, and prevent further spread of poliovirus.

Once again, meticulous planning, coordination and implementation will see an extensive network of teams vaccinating at selected health facilities and outreach posts. Mobile teams will actively reach out to families living in shelters, tents and camps for internally displaced people. Local teams will be deployed in areas that need special coordination to reach children, including those who could not receive vaccine in the first round. The first round demonstrated that overwhelming logistical challenges — including operating amid devastated infrastructure and constant population movements — can be overcome through an extraordinarily resilient and dedicated health workforce and strong community demand for polio vaccination, if all parties respect the planned humanitarian pauses.

More than 800 social mobilizers will reach out to families to raise awareness on the importance of taking the second dose as well as on the dates and locations. Radio spots, short message services (SMS) and all digital channels available in Gaza will also amplify these messages. This outreach will continue until the round concludes.

Additionally, logistical and programmatic needs, such as training health and community workers, provision of adequate supplies, recording of data by independent monitors, and demarcation of areas being covered by mobile teams, have been streamlined for the second round.

To cover the two rounds, 1.6 million doses of the vaccines were delivered in the past two months as well as 20 refrigerators, 10 freezers, 100 ice boxes, and 800 vaccine carriers — all equipment required to maintain vaccines at a temperature between 2 and 8°C.

Once again, a humanitarian pause will be a pre-requisite to implementing a successful second round, particularly to ensure all polio workers can operate in a safe and secure environment, and communities and families can obtain vaccination for children without fear.

A substantial constraint to the polio campaign will again be reaching children living in areas outside humanitarian pauses , who were not covered in the last round. This requires coordination and approvals to allow programme supervision and monitoring, which would contribute significantly to ensuring all children, regardless of their location, are vaccinated.

WHO and UNICEF renew their urgent request to all parties to the conflict to implement the necessary humanitarian pauses in Gaza for this second round. This is particularly critical as new evacuation orders in the north of Gaza are threatening access to hospitals and protection of health facilities and health and community workers. Vaccination teams must be protected and allowed to conduct the campaigns safely. We urge all parties to ensure their protection, and that of health facilities and children.

Editors’ notes:

Circulating variant poliovirus type 2 was confirmed in Gaza in six environmental samples in July 2024, in a ten-month-old paralysed child in July 2024, and in another five environmental samples collected on 5 September 2024.

More information on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and daily updates on the outbreak response campaign, are available here.

13 September 2024, Jerusalem/Amman/Geneva – Around 560 000 children under ten years old were vaccinated against polio during the first round of an emergency vaccination campaign conducted in three phases from 1-12 September 2024 in the Gaza Strip.

The 12-day campaign provided novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) to 558 963 children, following meticulous planning and coordination. This involved the use of an extensive network of teams, vaccinating at selected fixed sites at health facilities and outreach posts. Mobile and transit teams actively reached out to families living in shelter homes, tents, and camps for the displaced, alongside community workers engaging families to raise awareness ahead of and during the campaign. For each phase, an area-specific humanitarian pause of nine hours daily was agreed to ensure the safety of communities and health workers, and enable vaccination efforts.

“Health and community workers have shown incredible resilience, carrying out this campaign at unprecedented scale and speed under the toughest conditions in Gaza. Swift action by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative—from the moment the virus was detected to the launch of the vaccination campaign—speaks to the effectiveness of the polio programme. In areas where humanitarian pauses took place, the campaign brought not just vaccines, but moments of calm. As we prepare for the next round in four weeks, we’re hopeful these pauses will hold, because this campaign has clearly shown the world what’s possible when peace is given a chance,” said Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).

“It was critical this ambitious campaign was carried out quickly, safely and effectively to protect children in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring countries from the life-altering poliovirus,” said Jean Gough, UNICEF Special Representative in the State of Palestine. “The progress made in this first round is encouraging, but the job is far from done. We are poised to finish the task and call on all involved to ensure we can do so in the next round in four weeks’ time, for the sake of children everywhere.”

Partners at all levels recognize common operational challenges faced during these efforts, including devastated infrastructure, from health facilities to roads, limited trained healthcare workers, access issues due to insecurity, limited fuel for generators used to safely store vaccines and freeze ice packs, and constant population movements. However, these issues were addressed in a timely manner, with the key support of the Palestinian Ministry of Health and UNRWA, to enable planned vaccination activities.

Despite these challenges and the conditions that families in the Gaza Strip have endured over the past 11 months, families flocked to health facilities to get their children vaccinated. This can be attributed to traditionally positive health seeking behaviour among the Palestinian people and an impactful campaign to raise awareness and mobilize the public.

The original target for the campaign was 640 000 children, estimated in the absence of an accurate survey, which may have been an over-estimate, as the population continues to move from place to place, and people are fleeing and being killed due to the ongoing hostilities. During the campaign, trained monitoring teams were deployed to oversee vaccination efforts. As next steps, an additional 65 independent monitors are being deployed to cross-check the proportion of children vaccinated across the Gaza Strip to independently assess the level of coverage achieved in the first round. They need safe, unimpeded access so they can visit households, markets, transit points, and health facilities to check children for the prominent purple dye marked on their little finger when they are vaccinated. These efforts will provide an independent measure of the percentage of vaccination coverage achieved and reasons for any unvaccinated children.

A second round of the campaign will follow, ideally within four weeks, to provide a second dose of nOPV2 to children in Gaza to stop the outbreak and prevent its international spread.

To repeat this ambitious intervention, reach enough children, and successfully stop further transmission of the poliovirus, WHO, UNICEF and UNRWA are calling on all parties to the conflict to commit to another round of humanitarian pauses, with unimpeded access to children in areas that need special coordination.

Ultimately, we need a long-lasting ceasefire as all families in the Gaza Strip need peace so they can begin to heal and rebuild their lives.

Notes to editors:

The campaign was implemented as part of an urgent and robust response to the confirmation of circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in Gaza, which was found in the environment in July 2024, and in a 10-month-old child in August 2024. It was conducted by the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and partners. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) members, donors, WHO Member States and partners in oPt, including as part of the Health Cluster, played a key role in facilitating the campaign.

The campaign kicked off using 473 teams, including 230 mobile teams, and 143 vaccination sites, in central Gaza, followed by 91 fixed sites, complemented by 384 mobile teams in southern Gaza. It concluded in northern Gaza, reaching children through 127 teams at fixed sites and 104 mobile teams. Fixed sites comprised hospitals, medical points, primary health centres, temporary learning spaces, schools, and food and water distribution points. Additionally, 749 social mobilizers were trained and deployed to engage communities, before and during the campaign to nudge families to vaccinate their children and address concerns.

Novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) is a polio vaccine being used to stop transmission of variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), currently the most prevalent form of the variant poliovirus. nOPV2 is safe and effective and offers protection against paralysis and community transmission. It is the vaccine globally recommended for variant type 2 poliovirus outbreaks – the type that has been found in Gaza.

Over 187 000 children under ten years of age were vaccinated with novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in central Gaza during the first phase of a two-round polio vaccination campaign, conducted between 1–3 September 2024. Vaccination coverage in this phase exceeded the initial estimated target of 157 000 children due to population movement towards central Gaza, and expanded coverage in areas outside the humanitarian pause zone.

To ensure no child is missed in this area, polio vaccination will continue at four large health facilities in central Gaza over the next few days. Vaccine doses have been supplied to these sites to meet any additional needs.

“It has been extremely encouraging to see thousands of children being able to access polio vaccines, with the support of their resilient families and courageous health workers, despite the deplorable conditions they have braved over the last 11 months. All parties respected the humanitarian pause and we hope to see this positive momentum continue,” said Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory.

The first phase of the campaign was conducted by 513 teams, consisting of over 2180 health and community outreach workers. Vaccination was provided at 143 fixed sites, including hospitals, medical points, primary care centres, camps where displaced people are living, key public gathering spaces such as temporary learning spaces, food and water distribution points, and transit routes leading from central towards northern and southern Gaza. Additionally, mobile teams visited tents and hard to-reach areas to ensure they reached families who were unable to visit fixed sites. The presence of a substantial number of children eligible for vaccination who were unable to reach vaccination sites due to insecurity, necessitated special missions to Al-Maghazi, Al-Bureij and Al-Mussader – areas just outside of the agreed zone for the humanitarian pause.

Preparations are underway to roll out the next phase of the campaign, which will be conducted in southern Gaza from 5–8 September 2024, targeting an estimated 340 000 children below ten years of age. Some 517 teams, including 384 mobile teams, will be deployed. Nearly 300 community outreach workers have already begun outreach to families in southern Gaza to raise awareness about the campaign, while 490 vaccine carriers, 90 cold storage boxes, and other supplies have been transferred to Khan Younis for distribution to vaccination sites.

The third and last phase of the polio vaccination campaign will be implemented in northern Gaza from 9–11 September 2024, targeting around 150 000 children.

At least 90% vaccination coverage during each round of the campaign is needed to stop the outbreak, prevent the international spread of polio and reduce the risk of its re-emergence, given the severely disrupted health, water and sanitation systems in the Gaza Strip. Vaccination coverage will be monitored throughout the campaign, and, when necessary, vaccinations will be extended to meet coverage targets as part of flexible strategies to ensure every eligible child receives their vaccine dose.

The two-round campaign, being conducted by the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH), in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and many partners, aims to provide two drops of nOPV2 to around 640 000 children during each round.

“The successful delivery of the first phase of the campaign in central Gaza is a culmination of immense coordination among various partners, including the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and donors, and underscores the importance of peace for the health and well-being of people in Gaza. We call on all parties to continue fulfilling their commitment to the humanitarian pauses as the second phase of the campaign begins tomorrow,” said Dr Peeperkorn.

Notes to editors

The campaign is part of an urgent response to prevent the spread of polio after circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) was detected in Gaza, after 25 years of being polio-free. cVDPV2 has been detected in six environmental samples – or wastewater – collected from central Gaza in June 2024. Gaza has reported four cases of children with acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), including one case of confirmed polio in a child who tested positive for circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2). Two of the reported cases tested negative for poliovirus. Laboratory results are pending on samples from the fourth AFP case.

Novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) is a polio vaccine being used to stop transmission of variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), currently the most prevalent form of the variant poliovirus.

nOPV2 is safe and effective and offers protection against paralysis and community transmission. It is the vaccine globally recommended for variant type 2 poliovirus outbreaks – the type that has been found in the recent samples from Gaza.

Brazzaville, May 14, 2024 – Following thorough assessments in Malawi and Mozambique, an independent Polio Outbreak Response Assessment Team (OBRA) today recommended the closure of the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak in Malawi and Mozambique, marking a significant milestone in the fight against polio in the African region.

The last WPV1 case in the African Region, linked to a strain circulating in Pakistan, was reported in Mozambique´s Tete Province in August 2022. A total of nine cases were detected in Mozambique and neighbouring Malawi, where the outbreak was declared in February 2022. In a coordinated response, more than 50 million children have been vaccinated to date against the virus in southern Africa.

The meticulous evaluation carried out by the OBRA team included two in-depth field reviews and supplementary data review, concluding that there is no evidence of ongoing wild polio transmission. The assessment considered the quality of the outbreak response, including the overall population immunity, supplementary immunization campaigns, routine immunization coverage, surveillance systems, vaccine management practices, and the level of community engagement.

The successful stopping of this outbreak reflects the unwavering commitment and collaborative efforts of African governments, health workers, communities and Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners, including Rotarians on the ground. Through robust surveillance, quality vaccination campaigns and enhanced community engagement, both countries have effectively controlled the spread of the virus, safeguarding the health and well-being of their children.

“This achievement is a testament to what can be accomplished when we work together with dedication and determination,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “I commend the governments of Malawi and Mozambique, as well as all those involved in the response, for their tireless efforts to contain the outbreak. It is now imperative that we continue to strengthen our immunization systems, enhance surveillance, and reach every child with life-saving vaccines.”

Health authorities, with high-quality technical support from GPEI, have put in place national prevention strategies in Malawi and Mozambique, as well as in all districts bordering other countries involved in the response. These include Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Zambia.

To date, more than 100 million vaccine doses have been administered in the most at-risk areas. The strategy to get ahead of this outbreak and stop it before it got out of hand relied on detailed micro-planning, including mapping of cross-border communities, migratory routes, cross-border entry/exit points, and transit routes for each of the cross-border facilities. Synchronization and coordination of vaccination plans across five countries, as well as the monitoring of vaccination activities, proved key to identifying and reaching all eligible children in the cross-border areas, to avoid the risk of paralysis due to the virus.

“The official closure of the outbreak is truly a success due to unfaltering determination and strong collaboration between the governments of Mozambique, Malawi and neighbouring countries, as well as between all partners and health workers. I want to particularly recognise the strong efforts of the vaccination teams working on the frontline to reach every last child,” said Etleva Kadilli, UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa. “Going forward, routine immunisation must remain high up the priority list; no child is safe from polio until all children are vaccinated.”

To enhance polio surveillance, over the past two years, 15 new wastewater surveillance sites were established in the affected countries. These sites have a critical role to play in detecting silent circulating poliovirus in wastewater, ensuring that quality samples are sent to laboratories for timely confirmation and response to poliovirus presence.

Additionally, countries have scaled up efforts to protect children in high-risk areas by strengthening surveillance, and data and information management. World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Centre has analysed spatial and geographic data on visual maps, providing geographic real-time coverage information, including locating missing settlements, to improve vaccination coverage.

“Closing polio outbreaks is possible when national governments, local health workers, community mobilizers, and global partners come together to prioritize a rapid and timely response to protect children from this devastating disease,” said Dr. Chris Elias, president of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Malawi, Mozambique, and the entire Southern-African region are setting the example for what it takes to urgently improve vaccination campaigns and disease surveillance systems. Commitments like these will help us achieve a world free of all forms of poliovirus.”

Health experts, the OBRA team and GPEI coordinators on the ground underscored the pivotal role of enhanced polio surveillance, high quality community engagement in vaccination campaigns and timely outbreak response, including rapid deployment of experts and other field responders, to curb the virus.

Note to editors:

The notification of imported wild poliovirus in 2022 did not alter the certification of the African region as free of indigenous wild polio in August 2020, as the strain that was confirmed in southern Africa was imported.

Polio has no cure and can cause irreversible paralysis. However, the disease can be prevented and eradicated through administration of a safe, simple and effective vaccine.

As per the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations (2005), the risk of international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Countries affected by poliovirus transmission are subject to Temporary Recommendations. To comply with the Temporary Recommendations issued under the PHEIC, any country infected by poliovirus should declare the outbreak as a national public health emergency, ensure the vaccination of residents and long-term visitors and restrict at the point of departure travel of individuals, who have not been vaccinated or cannot prove the vaccination status.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by national governments, WHO, Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Since 1988, the incidence of wild poliovirus has been reduced by more than 99%, from more 350,000 annual cases in more than 125 endemic countries, to four cases in 2024 from two endemic countries (Pakistan and Afghanistan). In 2023, only 12 cases of WPV1 were detected globally.

To strengthen the fight against polio, health ministers from across the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region gathered virtually for the 10th meeting of the Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks. It was the first meeting of the Subcommittee convened by the new WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hanan Balhky.

Her Excellency Dr Hanan Al-Kuwari, Minister of Public Health, Qatar, and Subcommittee Co-chair, welcomed Dr Balhky’s determination to end polio during her tenure. His Excellency Mr Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Oweis, Minister of Health and Prevention of the United Arab Emirates, and Subcommittee Co-chair, represented by His Excellency Dr Hussain Al Rand, also expressed enthusiasm that Dr Balkhy’s vision and expertise promise to propel regional efforts, bringing the world closer to eradication.

Read more on the WHO EMRO website

Port Sudan, Sudan – Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) will launch a polio vaccination campaign in April 2024 in response to a new emergence of variant poliovirus type 2 reported in January 2024. It was detected in six wastewater samples collected from September 2023 to January 2024 in the Port Sudan locality, Red Sea State.

The FMOH, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), has completed field investigations and a risk assessment to determine the extent of the virus circulation. Preparations for a polio vaccination campaign in April 2024 in Red Sea, Kassala, Gedaref, River Nile, Northern, White Nile, Blue Nile and Sennar states are under way, with a differentiated approach for the rest of the states as conditions allow.

Read more on the WHO EMRO website.

In Nangahar, eastern Afghanistan, Lailuma, a female mobiliser vaccinator (FMV), facilitating a session on polio, vaccine preventable diseases and child health with women in the locality. FMVs organize these kind of awareness sessions for women every day in hundreds of locations across the country – their role is crucial in reaching mothers and their children with vital health services and immunization against polio and other deadly diseases. © UNICEF/UNI530951/Karimi

It’s midmorning in Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand Province in south Afghanistan. The sun, climbing rapidly, has already burned through the wintry dawn. Inside the maternity ward of the Bost Provincial Hospital – the second biggest health care facility in the Southern Region – seven women nurse their newborn babies. The mother of the youngest bathes her just-born son’s face with a warm cloth. The eldest, at two hours’ old, is getting her first childhood vaccinations – BCG, hepatitis B and polio.

Here in Bost hospital, like every maternity facility in Afghanistan, babies are vaccinated in their first few hours of life. In any 24-hour period, the UNICEF-backed female vaccinators will vaccinate dozens of babies in this hospital alone. Some are medically trained to administer intravenous vaccinations, and others – known as female mobilizer vaccinators, or FMVs – are women from the local community, who administer polio drops and run health education sessions. FMVs are not just vaccinators: they are the first line advocates for polio eradication. They are a familiar face to the local community who provides sound advice and information for good health of their children and family members.

Introduced in 2020 as a pilot in three provinces, the FMV programme has since then expanded to 20 out of the country’s 34 provinces. Today, there are over 650 FMVs reaching thousands of women and children every day in hundreds of locations countrywide. The FMV programme also helps alleviate some of the burden on the national health system: the pastoral care service the FMVs provide frees up doctors, nurses and midwives to concentrate on their life-saving work. Some of the FMVs are trained nurses or midwives, and pitch in to help when an extra pair of hands are needed.

A child receives polio drops as part of the routine immunization service at a temporary health facility near the Torkham border crossing in Eastern Afghanistan. © UNICEF/UNI530949/Karimi

The FMVs are a unique group when it comes to reaching women. In the eastern part of the country where the polio virus persists, communities are also historically culturally conservative: here it really is a woman’s work to inform other women. Women are usually the primary caregivers, reaching more women means reaching more children, reducing missed vaccinations and broadening the cohort of fully immunized children. Moreover, they can reach all women, even getting the message to those who are unable to leave the house because they do not have a mahram– a male family member who acts as a chaperone, usually a husband, father, or brother.

Health education sessions run by FMVs include all important components for mothers and children’s health -– from nutrition to childhood diseases, breastfeeding, general hygiene and the importance of vaccination to protect children deadly diseases like measles and polio. Four times a day in hospitals and clinics from Kandahar to Mazar, women crowd into spaces transformed into temporary classrooms, presided over by an FMV with a handheld flipchart. Every session is packed.

One such session, on the importance of sanitation to prevent the spread of polio, is going on in a sunny courtyard of a health facility in Jalalabad, in eastern Afghanistan. Rows of women listen attentively to Lailuma, an FMV who lives in the locality, while children play at their feet. The occasional burst of children’s laughter break the rapt silence.

At a temporary health facility in Eastern Afghanistan, near the Torkham border crossing point with Pakistan, a female mobiliser vaccinator marks the finger after administering the polio vaccine to an Afghan boy who has recently returned from Pakistan. © UNICEF/UNI530950/Karimi

This is a unique programme, tailored for the complex realities of Afghanistan. Attitudes toward vaccination and healthcare differ between regions, provinces, and even between families. There is no single approach that would suit a country as culturally complex as Afghanistan. The FMVs are deeply embedded in the community that they serve, and their patients are family members, friends and neighbours. They have their trust, which is half the battle won.

“Women in our culture are more responsive to a certain approach,” Hadiya, the FMV supervisor in Lashkar Gah, explains. “They need privacy, politeness, a relaxed atmosphere, before they can settle down to listen.”

Since the FMV programme began, vaccination rates, community awareness levels and, by extension, general trust in the healthcare system, have increased across Afghanistan.[1] The FMVs are the community’s first and trusted source of health information, who also play a pivotal role in identifying children missing vaccinations. Health seeking behaviour and visit to health facilities have also risen as a direct result of women’s increased levels of knowledge.

Despite challenges, the FMVs are driving the polio eradication programme forward, one family at a time. In Jalalabad, Lailuma remains positive: “Inshallah polio will be eradicated. Achievements feel small, but if we keep going we will succeed, and it will be gone from Afghanistan forever.”

(All names have been changed.)

By Kate Pond, UNICEF Afghanistan

[1] UNICEF, Formative Assessment on the Effectiveness of the Deployment of Female Mobiliser Vaccinators (FMV) in Polio High-Risk Locations, May 2023.

KARACHI – The only life Huma Ashraf has known outside her home is of a health worker. That’s what made her step out on September 11, 2023, when she was verifiying microplans in a slum behind a railway track.

Hours later, in a moment that would redefine her life, she was rushing to Karachi’s Jinnah Hospital in an ambulance all by herself, following a train accident.

“It all happened so fast. I had to verify the homes behind the tracks and the only way to get there is crossing the railway track,” she says, recalling that day of the accident with exceptional calm. “The train seemed far away, and I thought I could cross over, but there was a gush of wind and my dupatta was caught in the train.”

In a mere matter of minutes, her life changed as she lost both feet.

The people who witnessed the accident called for an ambulance. With startling presence of mind, she collected the feet in the hope of a surgical reattachment and specified which hospital she wanted to go to.

Hina, her younger sister, is amazed by Huma’s courage that day. Showing the text message she received, she shares how Huma wrote to her with striking clarity. “Pair kat gaye hain, hospital ja rahi hun. Ammi abbu ko mat batana” (Have lost my feet, going to the hospital, don’t tell mom and dad.)

By the time Huma was taken into surgery, nearly five hours later, the damage was irreversible.

Hina worked up the courage to tell their parents about the accident after the surgery. Her mother initially thought Huma’s toes were affected. “I couldn’t fathom the extent of it,” says her mother Rukhsana.

A Legacy of Healing

Since Huma was 14, she has known what an aspirin could do, the contraceptives women would seek and that two drops of the oral polio vaccine could protect a child from lifelong, paralytic polio. These were her mother’s teachings. As she grew older, she also learnt how to administer injections. Rukhsana would ask Huma to try injections on her, consistently training her on how to provide basic health services to the community.

Rukhsana, a lady health worker, started working in 1995. As the eldest child, Huma would go along, and the mother-daughter duo would navigate the streets of Karachi, bringing essential healthcare within reach to women and children, and making friends along the way.

All of Rukhsana’s five children have worked for the Polio Eradication Initiative at some point, but it was Huma who stayed on as a frontline health worker, working in the Polio Programme as a team member and eventually rising in the ranks to become an area in-charge.

As vaccinators, there was a time when Huma and Rukhsana were one team, a team that they were very proud of. “When important people came in big cars, we were the team that would be introduced to them because everyone knew we did our job well,” Rukhsana says. “Everyone who saw Huma was amazed at how much she could walk in a day and now…I would have never imagined that one day Huma won’t be able to walk.”

“Both of us still forget what happened. Last night, someone came knocking on the door with some tea and I couldn’t find my slippers, so I asked Huma where hers were, but then I remembered that they would be somewhere on the railway tracks that day,” she adds.

Much of Huma’s nights are spent in pain, especially in the feet that are no longer there. “I think it’s the nerves, my nerves still feel the pain. I can feel my toes hurting, and then realize that they aren’t there anymore.”

Despite a life-changing loss, this is the work Huma still wants to do. “I want to return to work in polio,” she says with a belief that better days are yet to come. The accident has offererd a new level of acceptance and grace. “If God has put me through this difficult time, then I will also be given the strength to bear it.”

“My father cries a lot about this. I told him we have to accept things as they are. This has happened, Allah has put us through a difficult time. If one door closes, another one opens.”

The Bonds That Strengthen

The accident has redefined the meaning of family for Huma. The outpouring of support from colleagues and leaders in the Polio Programme has been overwhelming. For Irshad Sodhar, Coordinator for Sindh’s Emergency Operations Centre, ensuring Huma’s recovery is a mission.

“Looking after the wellbeing of frontline workers is most important. While they do this arduous job selflessly, it is the programme’s duty to support them when they face any adverse situation, especially in the course of their work,” he says.

He is a frequent visitor to the family, and Huma and Rukhsana both look forward to seeing him.

“It is my mission to ensure that Huma gets back on her feet. After the accident, I mobilized everyone we could, from the National EOC Coordinator to the Sindh Health Minister and Deputy Commissioner. We have worked to ensure the family has enough funds and the house is made disability friendly with toilets remade and all parts of it accessible for her. I am amazed by her resilience. After all this, she still wants to work to end polio,” he says, adding “Global polio eradication depends on the motivation of frontline workers. We can’t finish the job without the utmost support of frontline teams on ground.”

When Dr Shahzad Baig, the National EOC Coordinator, talks about Huma, the word that is oft repeated is of family. “Huma is one of the most remarkable people I have ever met,” he says. “We met soon after the accident and I was amazed to see how unbroken her spirit was. She only had gratitude and determination to be better. This feeling of awe stayed with me for days after I met her,” he says.

“She is the true spirit of our polio family. We will make sure she recovers completely and is able to walk on prosthetic feet. Our polio partner, Rotary, has already provided the support for the prosthesis.”

For Dr Zainul Abedin, the WHO National Polio Team Lead, Huma’s unbreakable spirit exemplifies the strength within the polio family. “Huma’s journey, marked by both loss and unyielding hope, mirrors the dedication of health workers across the country. There are many brave souls like Huma who are part of this noble mission to end polio from Pakistan,” he said.

Dr Abedin added: “We salute Huma and every frontline worker, acknowledging their sacrifices and commitment, and will continue to ensure a highly supportive environment for them.”

Huma’s journey and resilience caught the nation’s attention on October 24, 2023, World Polio Day.

In a ceremony that highlighted the relentless efforts of health workers in the fight against polio, Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar honoured Huma with a shield appreciating her services. This recognition was not just for her contributions to public health but also for her unyielding spirit in the face of adversity. Huma was unable to travel to Islamabad. Dr Baig accepted the award on her behalf and the PM vowed to bring it to her himself.

As Huma prepares for a new chapter in her life, her story is not just one of loss and hardship, but of immense strength, community support, and unwavering hope. “Things have changed, but life goes on,” Huma says with a smile. “We have to embrace it, whatever it brings.”

Huma is eager to start working for polio eradication again.

Sindh EOC Coordinator Irshad Sodhar got frontline workers from across Pakistan to send her messages, all of them expressing their belief in her and wishing for her strength. Huma had a message for them too: “You are not alone. There is a huge programme behind you, which is there for your support. Your work is greater than you think.”

Rukhsana says she has never felt as supported since she started working in 1995. “In this time, I have really felt what it means to be part of a family.”

By Zehra Abid,
Communications Officer, WHO Pakistan (Video by NEOC)

The sound of drums is enough to rouse even the sun, prompting it to wrestle the early morning smog for a front-row seat in a local Pashtun community in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. As tea stall owners set up shop for the day, curious women peek out of their windows, and excited children rush out of their houses to flock around the mysterious drummer. And as he moves from street to street, they run alongside him. Flushed with excitement, they start dancing to the familiar local tunes, some of them falling over each other. All smiling. It is a welcome distraction on a cold January morning.

This lively scene, however, is no accident. A banner draped around the drummer carries a powerful message: “Let’s vaccinate our children regularly to eradicate polio. The upcoming vaccination campaign begins on 8^th January. Help us vaccinate your children whenever a health team visits your house.” This ‘attention-grabbing’ approach, blending cultural traditions with polio awareness campaigns, is the brainchild of UNICEF’s Social Behavior Change team working with the government’s Provincial Polio Emergency Operations Centre in Punjab.

Leading this creative team is Sajida Mansoor, who understands that information overload on polio vaccination can overwhelm parents, at times to the point of inaction.

“Out-of-the-box thinking was required to respond to the challenge. That’s how we came up with this unconventional but fun idea of using drums to spread awareness and highlight key immunization dates to reach children, especially those who were consistently missing polio vaccination,” says Sajida, a long time UNICEF staffer supporting polio eradication efforts in the country.

Zafar, the drummer, uses his rhythmic beats to attract a crowd of children and adults to share information about the upcoming polio campaign, in a neighborhood in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. © UNICEF/Pakistan

Zafar Iqbal, the drummer, suddenly stops playing, to allow the call for prayers from the local mosque to be heard in the community. Zafar is a seasoned professional musician who sustains his livelihood by showcasing his talent at various cultural events when he is not engaged with the polio eradication programme.

But the polio percussion show isn’t over yet. Joining Zafar at center-stage is seven-year-old Gul Bahisht. She confidently delivers a brief speech she has composed: “Do you know Pakistan is very close to finishing off polio? But I learnt that the virus is still spreading in our area and can paralyze children. We must vaccinate all children and protect them from being hurt and disabled from polio. I have been vaccinated. Why not vaccinate your child too. It’s easy and simple. Just two drops for your child in every campaign and we will all be free from polio forever.”

Zafar picks up where he left off and the rhythmic beat of his drums resume, bringing immense laughter and joy to the delighted children and their families in the neighborhood.

This engaging strategy has struck a chord with local communities. In neighborhoods where the initiative was first introduced, parents became more receptive. Mother and fathers happily opened their doors to polio vaccination teams. It enabled them to vaccinate a large cohort of children who had consistently missed vaccination due to reasons cited as ‘not available,’ which often meant the parents did not open their doors to vaccinators. Children embraced the teams without distrust, resulting in more efficient vaccination coverage.

This achievement underscores the importance of extending the initiative to other neighborhoods in future campaigns, particularly in communities where some children consistently miss their vaccinations.

A polio worker, Shazia Bibi (right) vaccinates a seven month old boy held by his mother in a neighborhood in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. © UNICEF/Pakistan/Bokhari.

“This approach has helped us break down the barriers with caregivers and they are more receptive to communicating with us. We are dedicated to ensuring that our teams on the ground actively respect the religious and cultural norms of the local community. For instance, drummers like Zafar pause their beats during calls for prayer, demonstrating social and religious sensitivity. Additionally, the musical elements are in accordance with the cultural norms of the community,” adds Sajida.

In communities across Lahore and Rawalpindi where the ‘drummer’ strategy was introduced, polio teams managed to vaccinate every single available child. This was a significant contribution to the 96 per cent vaccination coverage achieved in the Punjab province during the recent campaign.

Meanwhile, back in Rawalpindi, Zafar’s percussion jam for polio eradication continues to reverberate in the neighborhood. A father himself, he made sure his youngest two-month-old daughter was vaccinated during the recent vaccination campaign.

“I feel very happy and blessed that the beats from my drums bring joy to people, and at the same time support an important cause that protects our children in Pakistan from deadly diseases like polio,” says Zafar with a smile.

By Wasif Mahmood,
UNICEF Polio Communication Officer, Provincial Emergency Operations Center, Punjab

A child from the Roma community receives oral polio vaccine at a community health care centre in Mukachevo district, Ukraine, on 27 February 2023. © WHO/EURO

WHO/Europe has declared an outbreak of poliovirus in Ukraine, detected in October 2021, officially closed. The European Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication endorsed the closure of the outbreak during its annual meeting on 8 September 2023. The country has achieved this milestone – stopping transmission of the virus that threatened the lives and futures of its children and preventing spread to other countries – in the face of the ongoing war.

The comprehensive outbreak response, initiated by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in December 2021, faced multiple challenges since the end of February 2022, including massive population displacement, destruction of health-care infrastructure and disruption of logistical routes for medical product deliveries.

“Stopping the spread of poliovirus in the midst of a devastating war is a major achievement and a clear demonstration of the highest level of political commitment of the Government of Ukraine to the welfare of its population,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.

“In the face of unprecedented challenges, the necessary steps taken by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to prevent the spread of poliovirus within and beyond the borders of Ukraine are immensely commendable.”

The decision to close the outbreak was based on:

the recommendations of a poliovirus outbreak response assessment (OBRA) conducted by Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners, including WHO, in May 2023;
additional documentation provided by Ukraine in support of the ongoing surveillance, immunization and communication efforts since May; and
a comprehensive review of poliovirus surveillance and vaccination performance in the countries hosting the majority of the Ukrainian refugee population.

The outbreak was first detected in a young child in Ukraine in October 2021, following the importation of a poliovirus that had emerged in Pakistan and was previously detected in Tajikistan in 2021. A second child became paralysed in December 2021, and an additional 19 close contacts tested positive without developing symptoms.

“The Ministry of Health of Ukraine declared importation of this poliovirus a local public health emergency, and acted swiftly since its detection in close coordination with the global public health community,” said Dr Viktor Liashko, Minister of Health of Ukraine.

Dr Liashko continued, “The outbreak is now closed, but our work to prevent polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases in Ukraine continues despite all obstacles. As long as polio remains a threat globally, Ukraine will remain vulnerable. The Ministry of Health is committed to strengthening vaccine-preventable disease surveillance and working to achieve and sustain high routine immunization coverage nationwide to protect every child.”

What does it take to stop a polio outbreak?

In October 2021 the detection of poliovirus in Ukraine triggered the declaration of a public health emergency in affected oblasts, the creation of a response working group with technical support from GPEI and WHO specialists, and an immediate epidemiological investigation including contact tracing and environmental sampling at a summer camp, school and residences where the virus had been initially detected.

Health workers take a wastewater sample at a sewage site near Uzhgorod, Ukraine on 28 February 2023. © WHO/EURO

On 30 December 2021 the Ministry of Health approved an action plan in response to the outbreak that included, among other initiatives, an accelerated immunization catch-up campaign for children aged 6 months to 6 years who had not received the required doses through routine immunization.

The campaign began in mid-February 2022, but its scale and pace were significantly affected by the war in Ukraine. GPEI partners including WHO provided technical and operational support tailored to the context to build capacity and strengthen routine immunization services, disease surveillance, communication and transportation of samples to reference laboratories abroad.

Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, coordinated the WHO response within the country. “WHO and GPEI partners have been on the ground from day one, supporting Ukraine’s health authorities, medical and public-health professionals, laboratory staff, and communities to keep this virus from spreading,” he explained. “The excellent collaboration and perseverance of the local and international teams to protect children in the most difficult of circumstances has been truly inspiring.”

Despite the many challenges in implementing the national action plan for the outbreak response, no new detections of poliovirus were identified after December 2021. The OBRA conducted in May 2023 assessed the critical components of the outbreak response, such as the quality of surveillance (and thereby the risk of undetected poliovirus transmission), planning and coordination, the vaccination campaign, routine immunization performance, communication, and vaccine management. Based on the field assessment and review of the documentation, the OBRA concluded that poliovirus was no longer circulating in Ukraine.

The OBRA in Ukraine was followed by a comprehensive review of actions taken by Bulgaria, Czechia, Hungary, Poland, the Republic of Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. This was coordinated by WHO/Europe with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The review assessed the actions to expand capacities to detect the virus, identify gaps in vaccination coverage and increase coverage of the local populations hosting Ukrainian refugees, and offer vaccination to refugees entering from Ukraine. This review, along with the additional information provided by Ukraine on actions implemented during the months following the OBRA, enabled WHO/Europe to declare the outbreak officially closed.

Mr Robb Butler, Director of the Division of Communicable Diseases, Environment and Health at WHO/Europe, stated, “Ukraine has been steadfast in recent years in its efforts to achieve and sustain high routine vaccination coverage, and within the realm of the European Immunization Agenda 2030, WHO/Europe will continue to support health authorities to prevent further outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases including polio, measles, diphtheria and many more.”

Mr Butler concluded, “Tremendous credit goes to the health professionals and parents who continue to make every effort to vaccinate children on schedule to protect them from the threat of polio and other diseases, even while navigating the daily realities and dangers of war.”

Once children are vaccinated against polio, they are marked on their fingers to confirm their vaccination status. © WHO/AFRO

With 117 confirmed cases of circulating variant polioviruses and 107 detections in sampled wastewater so far in the African Region in 2023, the Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) has urged countries and health partners to urgently address gaps in polio immunity to avert outbreaks.

The ARCC, which held it 31st meeting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 3 to 7 July, also called for an accelerate implementation of supplementary immunization activities, while considering challenges in accessibility to services including gender-related issues. The commission stressed the importance of gender equality in the polio fight, noting the crucial role women play in management, supervision, decision-making, message development and monitoring for polio control. The ARCC also urged countries to conduct robust preparations and ensure the vaccination campaigns are of the highest quality.

“The guidance will allow health authorities and partners to provide focused support to strengthen microplanning and social mobilization in areas with poor campaign performance, among other key areas of action“ said Professor Rose Leke, head of the Africa Regional Certification Commission.

The meeting gathered representatives of national and provincial health authorities from Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mali and Mozambique who committed to strengthen disease surveillance and consolidate the Expanded Programme on Immunization in hard-to-reach areas, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and health partners.

Attendees took note of the increasing risk of poliovirus type 1 beyond Madagascar and the DRC, especially with the deterioration of routine immunization during the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns were also raised regarding the persistently security-compromised areas, especially in Nigeria, that are impeding the elimination of circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2).

The commission, therefore, encouraged health authorities to also expand the use of Geospatial Information Systems to improve quality of surveillance and outbreak response.

“We are looking forward to implementing the additional ARCC recommendations to guide how we can deliver on the promise of polio-free Democratic Republic of the Congo and Africa,” said Dr Serge Emmanuel Holenn, Deputy Minister of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who applauded the commission, WHO and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partners for the continued financial and technical support in the fight against polio in the country.

In addition to the DRC, Chad, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mali and Mozambique also presented progress in polio control and lessons learned. Although certification of polio eradication occurs at the regional level, all countries with polio-free status are required to provide the certification commission with annual updates. These containment reports and outbreak preparedness plans allow for continuous monitoring.

The ARCC commended health authorities for their leadership in responding to ongoing polio outbreaks, as “this reflects the deep commitment and continued collective efforts by African countries and partner organizations to the fight against polio,” said Professor Leke.

The ARCC is an independent body established in 1998 to oversee the certification status of the African region as free from indigenous wild poliovirus. It continues to evaluate reliability of data in documentation submitted by National Certification Committees to ensure that countries are adhering to the criteria set for the global certification of wild polio virus. The ARCC meets twice a year to review progress made in the annual certification updates of selected countries on polio eradication activities of all the 47 member’s state of the WHO African region.

Originally published on the WHO AFRO website.

After completing her bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science, she cut her teeth in a HIV drug resistance lab in Botswana, where she tested blood samples to determine whether a patient with HIV had a mutated form of the virus which did not respond to antiretroviral therapy.

“Once you are in the lab you realize it’s not just a job, it’s more like a calling,” she says. “Someone sends samples to you, and you are the first one to see results and ask, ‘how is this going to impact the patient, the community as a whole, and then the country as a whole?’”

In 2019, just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mphoyakgosi was transferred to the National Health Laboratory and when the pandemic hit, she was one of the first national experts to be trained by World Health Organization on how to test for COVID-19.

This period was a career highlight for Mphoyakgosi. “COVID-19 taught us a lot. When we get outbreaks now, we have learnt from COVID what can be done better,” she says.

Currently, as part of polio prevention, she tests wastewater samples for the poliovirus. And believes firmly in homegrown excellence in her field.

“My dream for my country Botswana is to have a well-established, operationalized national public health laboratory,” she says. “I think we have capacity in terms of human resources, in terms of infrastructure. What we need now is the drive to move towards excellence. You know, embracing the science as it is and technology as it comes.”

A child in Malawi getting the Oral Polio Vaccine drops. ©Moving Minds Multimedia/Malawi

A total of nine wild poliovirus cases have been reported so far, with one in Malawi and eight in neighbouring Mozambique since the declaration of an outbreak on 17 February 2022 in Malawi. The last confirmed case to date was in August 2022 in Mozambique. The wild poliovirus in Malawi and Mozambique originated from Pakistan, one of the two last endemic countries.

Concerted emergency response launched following the outbreak in 2022 has helped increase protection among children through vaccines in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The countries have also ramped up disease surveillance and community mobilization to help find cases and halt the virus.

“Southern Africa countries have made huge efforts to bolster polio detection, curb the spread of the virus and ensure that children live without the risk of infection and lifelong paralysis,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “We continue to support the polio control efforts across the region so that every child receives the protection they need.”

To date, 19 vaccination rounds have been concluded in the most at-risk areas and at least five more are planned for 2023 in the five countries.

Additionally, more than 10 new environmental surveillance sites have been set up over the past year in the affected countries with support from WHO. The fully operational sites are playing a critical role in the efforts to detect silent circulating poliovirus in wastewater.

“Response teams have worked intensely in the fight against polio not only in Malawi but in the rest of the neighbouring countries in a coordinated manner. We will not rest until we reach and vaccinate every child to stop polio transmission,” said Dr Emeka Agbo, acting Country Coordinator for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in Malawi.

Reaching all households where eligible children live is critical to protect them against the risk of paralysis. The national health authorities, with support from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, efforts are ongoing to map cross-border communities, migratory routes, border crossings and transit routes.

“Community health workers have been pivotal in the vaccination campaigns and will continue going door-to-door, bringing polio vaccines to children who might otherwise be missed,” said Dr Jamal Ahmed, WHO Polio Eradication Programme Manager.

Polio is highly infectious and affects unimmunized or under immunized children. In Malawi and Mozambique, it has paralysed children younger than 15 years. There is no cure for polio, and it can only be prevented by immunization. Children across the world remain at risk of wild polio type 1 as long as the virus is not eradicated in the last remaining areas in which it is still circulating.

Despite the circulation of wild poliovirus type 1 and the variant polioviruses, incredible progress has been made. Since 1988, when the Global Polio Eradication Initiative was set up, polio cases have plummeted by 99% from an estimated annual total of 350 000.

Importation of any case must be treated as a serious concern and high-quality response efforts to reach every child with polio vaccine are critical to prevent further spread.

On 25 January 2023, the WHO Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations concluded that the risk of international spread of poliovirus remains a public health emergency of international concern.

Originally published here.

This two-year old outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) type 2 began after the virus was imported from neighbouring Chad.

Click on the photo gallery to see what it took to close the outbreak.

Opening of the 75th World Health Assembly – 22 May 2022. © WHO

May 2022, Geneva, Switzerland – Global public health leaders convening last week at the World Health Assembly called for urgent action to end polio once and for all before a unique window of opportunity closes for good.

Recent efforts have had a clear impact on the global epidemiology of poliovirus, with endemic wild poliovirus transmission at extremely low levels, with just Pakistan and Afghanistan remaining endemic, and efforts to curb circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) showing fruit. Steps have been taken towards securing the legacy of polio eradication systems and know-how, under the Strategic Action Plan for Polio Transition. But delegates cautioned that this ‘window of opportunity’ will not remain open indefinitely, as experts pointed to recent concerning developments such as new wild poliovirus cases confirmed in Pakistan (the first cases reported in 15 months), wild poliovirus detected in south-east Africa (the first on the African continent since 2016), and polio re-emergence in Ukraine and Israel.

“Worrying developments in recent months highlight how fragile this progress is,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, addressing the Assembly. “These developments are tragic for the children affected and their families. But the reality is that in the final stages of an eradication effort, this is expected. This year, we have the real opportunity to halt wild poliovirus transmission. At the same time, we must respond faster and better to cVDPV outbreaks, to interrupt all transmission by end-2023.”

Success, however, depends on reaching remaining children who have not been immunized – the ‘zero-dose’ children at the heart of the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030).

Such a need was identified at this month’s G7 joint Development and Health Ministers meeting in Berlin, Germany, where discussions focused on “supporting vaccine equity and pandemic preparedness in developing countries”. The meeting cautioned against letting global crises interfere with other development and public health priorities and urged continued support for existing efforts, including global polio eradication. Polio eradication is a clear and concrete example of the value of working in close integration with other public health and development efforts. Polio staff continue to contribute to the COVID-19 pandemic response and immunization recovery efforts, together with supporting the introduction and roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines.

Ministers and high-level delegations from 20 countries of regions affected by both WPV1 and cVDPV met with senior GPEI leaders for focused discussions on concrete ways to close the final chains of virus transmission. The meetings were chaired by Polio Oversight Board chair Dr Chris Elias from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and respective WHO AFRO and EMRO Regional Directors, Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti and Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari. Key priorities were the importance of reaching zero-dose children, the challenges of complex emergencies and weak health systems, as well as the importance of inter-country coordination and collaboration.

Underscoring the urgency in giving the world one less infectious disease to worry about once and for all, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros issued a clear challenge to the Assembly: “For countries affected by polio, it is imperative that you reach every last child, and that you respond to vaccine-derived strains with the same urgency as you would to a wild strain. For countries that are now polio-free, it is crucial to accelerate efforts to use your polio assets and infrastructure to build stronger, more resilient health systems. And for all partners and donors, please help us seize the moment to raise predicable funding, for eradication and transition. I urge you to join us in Berlin this October at the pledging event* generously co-hosted by the Government of Germany. Your decision this week to support a stronger, sustainably financed WHO will enable us to sustain capacity in countries that are now polio-free and on the pathway to transition. Thank you all once again for your commitment to consigning polio to the history books.”

This call to action was echoed by Rotary International, the civil society partner of the global eradication effort. Addressing the Assembly on behalf of its 1.2 million members worldwide, Rotarian and Rotary Representative to the UN in Geneva, Professor Dr Pierre Hoffmeyer, concluded: “We call on all countries to address gaps in routine immunization levels and ensure robust surveillance to prevent further virus spread and avert future outbreaks.”

*In April 2022, GPEI partners, led by WHO Director-General, launched the ‘Investment Case for Polio Eradication’, the sister document to the Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026, which lays out the economic and humanitarian rationale for investing in a polio-free world, as well as the broader benefits of polio eradication. In October 2022, Germany will generously co-host a global pledging moment, giving the international development community the opportunity to publicly re-commit to this effort, including to support a stronger and sustainably-funded WHO, so that the organization can maintain its capacity to support countries in achieving and sustaining polio eradication, and continue to benefit broader public health efforts, including support for pandemic preparedness and response.

It is a hot afternoon in Chagai, a small community on the south bank of the River Gambia when the polio vaccination team arrives to a rapturous welcome. Children and women jump to their feet, some waving and swinging their hands as they pound their feet on the ground in near perfect sync with the beat of the drum.

This excitement is caused by one certain member of the vaccination team wearing a bush hat and playing the drums. Lamin Keita, 60, is a cultural musician supporting the vaccination team in raising awareness about polio and encouraging parents to vaccinate their children. Lamin, popularly called Takatiti, because of one of his songs, is immediately surrounded by excited children, as he adjusts his beats to respond to the ecstasy and rigor of the dancers.

“When I arrive on the back of a pick-up truck with my megaphone and drums, children from the communities run after us in full excitement and jump up and down and ask me to play my drums,” Takatiti explains.

Whenever Takatiti enters a village with his drums, children and adults flock around him and jump and dance to his music, which gives him the opportunity to speak with community members about polio and the importance of vaccination in protecting children from the deadly disease. Photo: © UNICEF/UN0624019/ Lerneryd

This is what Takatiti is popular for – pulling crowds with his drums to communicate important messages like polio vaccination. For almost four decades, he has toured communities in the region, accompanying health workers as they seek to persuade parents and caregivers to vaccinate their children during mass vaccination campaigns like the polio campaign.

Local voices are the most powerful voices

Building trust in vaccines among parents and caregivers is the first critical step towards achieving high immunization coverage to stop the spread of polio. UNICEF, as a leading partner of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) for social and behaviour change, supports the government in strengthening engagements with communities, as the voices of local leaders and influencers like Takatiti play a powerful role in helping allay fears and concerns of parents and caregivers about vaccines.

“I have been making town announcements since the mid-1980s. I am aware of polio and its terrible consequences. Families hear myths and rumours and get concerned about vaccines. As they already know and trust me, I try my best to give them accurate information and clear their doubts, so that they can vaccinate their children against polio and other dangerous diseases,” Takatiti says.

“It’s important to deliver messages that are supported by facts in an effective way”

Days before the start of a polio vaccination campaign and during the campaign itself, Takatiti walks up and down the streets of villages, playing his drums and using his megaphone to talk to communities about the dangers of polio, how vaccination is the only way to protect children, and that polio vaccines are safe and free.

Awa plays with her baby, Abdoulay, after he was vaccinated during the a polio vaccination campaign in Jenoi, The Gambia, on 21 March 2022. Photo: © UNICEF/UN0623991/Lerneryd

“I always try to promote peace and healthy life for all. It’s important to deliver messages that are supported by facts in an effective way. The Government and UNICEF provided me correct information and facts about polio and vaccines, so I am happy to volunteer for the campaign.”

A country mobilizes to stop polio

“If people trust health workers to cure other diseases, then it makes sense to trust the same health workers to protect our children from polio. Health workers even give the polio vaccine to their own children – so we should not doubt their good intentions. It is my job to let people know this truth, without offending them, and encourage them to vaccinate their kids,” Takatiti said.

In August 2021, The Gambia declared a national public health emergency in response to outbreaks of non-wild variants of polio in the country.

Sainabou, a healthcare worker, administers the polio vaccine to school children at New Town School during a vaccination campaign in Bakau, The Gambia, on 19 March 2022. Photo: © UNICEF/UN0624057/Lerneryd

The Gambian government, with support from WHO, UNICEF, US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)and GPEI partners, quickly responded and started preparing for nationwide immunization campaigns – managing supply and safe storage of vaccines, strengthening surveillance and monitoring, training health workers and vaccinators, and engaging with local leaders and influencers to build trust in vaccines.

The country undertook its first national polio vaccination campaign in November 2021 and followed up with a second round in March 2022.

Thanks to thousands of health workers, vaccinators, and community influencers like Takatiti, the vaccination campaigns have reached over 380,000 children aged five years and below in The Gambia.

April 2022 – Convening this month in Geneva, Switzerland, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE), the global advisory body to the World Health Organization (WHO) on all things immunization, urged concerted action to finish wild polioviruses once and for all.

The group, reviewing the global wild poliovirus epidemiology, highlighted the unique opportunity, given current record low levels of this strain. At the same time, it noted the continuing risks, highlighted in particular by detection of wild poliovirus in Malawi in February, linked to wild poliovirus originating in Pakistan.

On circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV) outbreaks, SAGE expressed concern at continuing transmission, in particular in Nigeria which now accounts for close to 90% of all global cVDPV type 2 cases, as well as the situation in Ukraine, and its disruption to health services, urging for strengthening of immunization and surveillance across Europe. It also noted the recent detection of cVDPV type 3 in Israel in children, and in environmental samples in occupied Palestinian territories, and urged high-quality vaccination activities and strengthened surveillance.

Preparing for the post-certification era, the group underscored the importance of global cessation of all live, attenuated oral polio vaccine (OPV) use from routine immunization, planned one year after global certification of wild poliovirus eradication. To ensure appropriate planning, coordination and implementation, the group endorsed the establishment of an ‘OPV Cessation Team’, to consist of wider-than-GPEI stakeholder participation and ensure leadership on all aspects of OPV cessation.

SAGE will continue to review available evidence and best practices on a broad range of GPEI-related programmatic interventions, including as relevant the increasing role of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), including in outbreak response and effects of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), as part of global efforts to secure a lasting world free of all forms of poliovirus.

Yemen is currently experiencing twin outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 and type 2 (cVDPV1 and cVDPV2). Both strains of poliovirus emerge in populations with low immunity and both can result in lifelong paralysis and even death.

Since 2019, 35 and 14 children have been paralysed by cVDPV1 and cVDPV2 respectively, three of the cVDPV2 cases confirmed in the past 10 days alone. The cVDPV2 outbreak, in particular, is ongoing and expanding and has already spread to other countries in WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region and UNICEF’s Middle East and North Africa Region. At its fourth meeting on 9 February 2022, the Eastern Mediterranean Ministerial Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks issued a statement, expressing deep concern around these expanding outbreaks and requesting all authorities in Yemen to facilitate resumption of house-to-house vaccination campaigns in all areas.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners strongly recommend high-coverage mass vaccination campaigns to stop a cVDPV outbreak. The vaccination response must achieve at least 90% of children vaccinated repeatedly with polio vaccine to protect them from polio and prevent seeding new vaccine-derived emergences. Therefore, the guidelines in the Polio Outbreak Response Standard Operating Procedures recommend that the vaccination response to polio outbreaks should be conducted using the house-to-house vaccine delivery strategy to maximize coverage of vulnerable children.

The GPEI urges the health authorities in Sana’a to conduct high quality house-to-house vaccination campaigns to stop the two concurrent outbreaks as soon as possible. If the current conditions in parts of Yemen do not permit house-to-house vaccination, then an intensified fixed-site vaccination campaign with appropriate social mobilization by the community and religious leaders trusted by the local communities should be implemented to maximize coverage among all vulnerable children.

Yemeni children face no shortage of threats: prolonged conflict, a devastated healthcare system, hunger and disease. But polio is one disease that can easily be prevented. Its circulation can be stopped in Yemen or anywhere else by vaccinating all children with oral polio vaccine.

The GPEI partners – WHO, Rotary International, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi – are committed to providing support to all stakeholders in Yemen for responding to the polio outbreaks including in conducting polio vaccination campaigns that can reach all vulnerable children.

Boy receiving polio drops from a health worker, with his mother during a polio vaccination campaign in 2015. © WHO / Alex Shpigunov

A poliomyelitis (polio) vaccination campaign for children aged 6 months to 6 years who missed routine polio doses in the past will begin in Ukraine on 1 February 2022. This catch-up campaign is part of a comprehensive response to stop an outbreak of poliovirus first detected in Ukraine in October 2021. This first stage will last 3 weeks and is expected to reach nearly 140 000 children throughout the country.

Years of low immunization coverage in Ukraine have created a large pool of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated children who are vulnerable to polio. While routine immunization coverage has gradually increased over the past 6 years, in 2020, only 84% of 1-year-olds received the required 3 scheduled doses of polio vaccines by 12 months of age.

The immediate goal of the campaign is to reach the WHO-recommended level of 95% vaccination coverage of eligible children.

Background

The polio outbreak in Ukraine was confirmed on 6 October 2021. Poliovirus (circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2) was first isolated in a 17-month-old girl in the province of Rivne who developed acute flaccid paralysis. Analysis of all her contacts found that 7 household contacts (siblings) and 8 community contacts in Rivne as well as 4 cousins in the province of Zakarpattya (who had had contact with the girl’s siblings) also tested positive, but did not develop paralytic symptoms.

A second case with acute flaccid paralysis (a 2-year-old boy in the region of Zakarpattya) also tested positive for poliovirus, with onset of paralysis in December 2021.

The isolated strain of the virus found in both paralytic cases and their contacts is linked to a poliovirus in Pakistan, which was also the cause of several cases in Tajikistan in 2020–2021.

Comprehensive plan to stop the spread of poliovirus

Following an initial local vaccination campaign, conducted where the first case was detected, a comprehensive polio outbreak response plan was approved by the Ministry of Health in December 2021.

The first stage of the plan will provide inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) to children aged 6 months to 6 years who have not received the required number of doses. In the second stage, all children under the age of 6 will be vaccinated with oral polio vaccine (OPV), even if they have received all their scheduled vaccination doses. This is necessary to protect children from infection and to stop the circulation of the virus. Dates for the second stage are pending.

The Executive Board Room at WHO Headquarters during the 150th EB session. © WHO

January 2022, Geneva, Switzerland – As the world enters 2022, and with it the year when the new GPEI Strategy 2022-2026 – Delivering on a Promise – takes effect, global public health leaders at this week’s WHO Executive Board urged for intensified eradication efforts to capitalize on a unique epidemiological window of opportunity. 2021 saw the lowest ever levels of wild poliovirus cases in history, with five cases reported from the remaining two endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus have also declined compared to 2020.

Delegates attributed this favourable situation to sustained commitment from the highest levels in polio-affected areas, but issued severe warnings against complacency. “2021 set the stage for success,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We must now not lower our guard.”

“What is clear is that in 2022, we have a very real and realistically achievable opportunity to finish wild poliovirus from the world once and for all,” said Aidan O’Leary, Director of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, WHO. “But what is equally clear from the discussions at the Executive Board is that there is virtually no room for error now. If we take our foot off the accelerator even by a little bit, this virus will come roaring back, and we will perhaps have lost the best chance yet for success. The resounding message from this week’s meeting is this: we cannot allow this to happen. Success is the only acceptable outcome.”

Time and again, delegates, experts and partners such as Rotary International underscored the need to fully implement and finance the GPEI Strategy 2022-2026, highlighting that it clearly laid out the roadmap to achieving a lasting world free of all forms of polioviruses, through stronger community engagement, a renewed focus on gender equity and the rollout of new tools and technologies, including the novel oral polio vaccine type 2.

Delegates expressed appreciation at the polio programme’s ability to adapt to programmatic, epidemilogical and political developments, as demonstrated in Afghanistan last year, where – for the first time in more than three years – nationwide immunization campaigns resumed. At the same time, 2021 again saw the broader benefits of polio eradication, with health workers at the forefront supporting global COVID-19 response, vaccination and immunization recovery efforts, and the polio infrastructure now increasingly being integrated into broader public health systems in polio-free countries across the world.

With over 50 countries transitioning out of GPEI support in 2022, Member States also supported efforts to sustain the gains in polio-free countries, calling on WHO to continue its technical support in polio-free countries, and to ensure that polio assets, tools and expertise are effectively integrated into broader immunization, disease surveillance, primary health care, and outbreak preparedness and response efforts.

“Together with our partners at Rotary International, CDC, UNICEF the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, we will continue to support Member States in their eradication efforts,” concluded O’Leary. “But much is on the line. We have everything in place – we need to focus now fully on optimizing our tools and tactics, and ensuring the resources to do so are available. If those two things come together, we will be able to give the world one less infectious disease to worry about once and for all.”

Watch this animation to learn how the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) intends to reinvigorate polio prevention and outbreak response with the bold new GPEI Strategy for 2022-2026.