As the African region marked one year since the last confirmed detection of wild poliovirus type 1, health leaders have pledged to intensify their efforts to end all forms of the virus.
This comes as ministers of health gathered for the 73rd session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa on Wednesday.
Polio has no cure and can cause irreversible paralysis. However, the disease can be prevented through administration of a safe, simple and effective vaccine, the WHO said.
The region’s last confirmed case of wild poliovirus, linked to a strain circulating in Pakistan, was reported in August last year in Mozambique’s Tete province.
A total of nine cases were detected in both Mozambique and neighbouring Malawi, where an outbreak was confirmed in February last year.
In a co-ordinated response, more than 45 million children across five southern African countries were vaccinated against the virus.
“One year without wild polio detection reflects the great effort by countries and partner organisations to halt this virus. But until we reach every child and ensure adequate vaccine coverage and protection, the fight is not over,” said WHO regional director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti. “WHO remains committed to supporting national efforts to address all the challenges towards a polio-free Africa.”
Although the region has been certified free of wild poliovirus, WHO said it was witnessing a resurgence of circulating variant polioviruses in areas where the virus has not been reported for decades due to a decline in immunisation coverage and the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on essential health services.
So far this year, 187 confirmed cases of circulating variant poliovirus have been reported in 21 countries in the African region.
Cape Times