Ghana

Status: affected by circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2)

Polio this week in Ghana

  • No cVDPV2 case was reported this week. There were three cases reported in 2022.

WHO risk assessment

WHO assesses the risk of international spread and/or emergence of cVDPV2 across West Africa, Central Africa and the Horn of Africa to be high.

International Health Regulations

Ghana is classified by the International Health Regulations (IHR) as a state infected with cVDPV2, with or without evidence of local transmission.  It is therefore subject to Temporary Recommendations issued by the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Polio Eradication (issued as of August 2023).

WHO advice

It is important that all countries, in particular those with frequent travel and contacts with polio-affected countries and areas, strengthen surveillance for AFP cases in order to rapidly detect any new virus importation and to facilitate a rapid response. Countries, territories and areas should also maintain uniformly high routine immunization coverage at the district level to minimize the consequences of any new virus introduction.

WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travellers to polio-affected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. Residents (and visitors for more than 4 weeks) from infected areas should receive an additional dose of OPV or inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) within 4 weeks to 12 months of travel.