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WHO Asks Africa To Commit To Retaining Polio Status

WHO Asks Africa To Commit To Retaining Polio Status

 

Princess-Eķwi Ajide Abuja

 

The World Health Organisation, WHO, says as many as 20 million children have been spared disability as two of the three strains of wild poliovirus (Type 2 and Type 3) have been certified as eradicated while the African Region was certified as free of indigenous wild polio in 2020.

 

In her message to commemorate the World Polio Day, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, warned that the outbreak of polio in some countries demand that African countries remain vigilant.

 

According to her, detections of new outbreaks, including in areas where polio was believed to have been eradicated, is a stark reminder that if the World does not deliver on promise to eradicate all forms of polio, everywhere, no child is safe anywhere.

 

She said that it is necessary for Africa to stamp out new cases of wild polio, as well as to safeguard its wild polio-free certification status especially as the most updated statistics for the continent, shows more than 250 cases of paralysis from polio have been recorded this year.

 

Dr. Moeti further stated that at the end of the first quarter of 2022, WHO successfully closed 32 outbreaks in 10 countries adding that to halt outbreaks of the circulating polio variant, 500 million vaccine doses have been administered globally, 95% of which were in Africa.

 

She noted that following two immunisation rounds, no further transmission has been seen as the polio response had prompted innovative digital technologies to identify, track and best deliver vaccines, especially to those in hard-to-reach areas.

 

Dr. Moeti disclosed that in a show of global solidarity, Germany, along with 15 other countries, as well as charities, international organisations, and numerous private sector initiatives, have committed more than US$ 2.6 billion to the polio eradication strategy which is more than half the total target.

 

She discloesed tha with the renewed financial commitment, it is a critical opportunity to ramp up eradication efforts globally and for the African Region, it means improved surveillance and high-quality immunisation campaigns targeting zero-dose children for vaccination against all polio strains.

 

The Regional Director called on African countries to support each other in the effort to end polio in the continent and globally, just as she applauded all dedicated health workers who are delivering on the polio promise, by going door-to-door to administer vaccines in often challenging circumstances, to safeguard every eligible child.

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