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07/01/2021

Broader benefits of the polio programme, COVID-19, Eradication, Financing and donors

In the final statement of 2020, the POB looks ahead at the next chapter

After a pandemic that triggered a deep global health and economic crisis, the POB addresses the next phase of GPEI support for COVID-19 response.

Syed Razzaq, technical officer for MIS/IT information management team lead shows data on Pakistan’s COVID-19 response at the operations room at National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication, located inside the National Institute of Health. © WHO/EMRO

In a newly-released statement following the final meeting of the Polio Oversight Board (POB) that was held virtually on 18 December 2020, the POB looks back at the support that the programme provided to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, while remaining strongly devoted to the goal of a polio-free world. The POB reaffirms its commitment that polio-funded assets are available to countries to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in the next phase of COVID-19 vaccine introduction and delivery.

The POB also believes that for countries introducing COVID-19 vaccine, there are lessons and experiences to be learnt from the rollout of nOPV2 under the EUL recommendation, if emergency regulatory pathways such as WHO EUL are used, including in the areas of monitoring readiness-verification, safety surveillance, and regulatory considerations.

Download the statement.