The World Well being Organisation (WHO) has reported a decline within the variety of African nations with energetic sort 2 poliovirus outbreaks, dropping from 24 to 14 between 2024 and 2025.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, in an announcement to mark the 2025 World Polio Day stated the entire virus detections additionally dropped by 54 per cent inside the similar interval.
The World Polio Day, marked on 24 October yearly supplies a possibility to spotlight world efforts towards a polio-free world and honor the tireless contributions of these on the frontlines within the struggle to eradicate polio from each nook of the globe
The theme for the 2025 World Polio Day “Finish Polio: Each Youngster, Each Vaccine, In every single place,” is a name to make sure that no youngster, in any setting, is left unprotected.
Mr Janabi stated nations within the area have continued to exhibit resilience and innovation within the struggle in opposition to the illness.
He famous that the progress achieved in 2025 displays the impression of sustained political dedication, regional cooperation and funding in public well being programs.
He emphasised that no youngster, no matter location, must be left unprotected from this preventable illness.
Outstanding progress
Mr Janabi stated Africa is making outstanding progress in direction of eradicating polio, with stronger cross-border collaboration, improved surveillance programs, and expanded immunisation campaigns reaching hundreds of thousands of youngsters throughout the continent.
He famous that between January and October 2025, 15 African nations reached practically 200 million kids with no less than one dose of the polio vaccine by way of supplementary immunisation rounds.
He stated 13 of those nations performed synchronised vaccination campaigns, together with in high-risk and conflict-affected areas.
Within the Horn of Africa, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia collectively vaccinated greater than 18 million kids in two consecutive rounds, a milestone WHO described as proof of efficient regional collaboration.
He stated in April 2025, Well being Ministers inaugurated a marketing campaign to vaccinate 83 million kids within the sub-region, contributing to vital reductions in poliovirus outbreaks and detection charges.
He added that by October 2025, two nations reported sort 1 instances, 14 reported sort 2, and three reported sort 3 poliovirus instances, reflecting continued challenges and progress throughout Africa.
Mr Janabi added that in Might, Madagascar formally declared the top of its circulating variant poliovirus sort 1 outbreak after complete response measures and sustained surveillance.
Stronger laboratories, digital innovation driving progress
Mr Janabi stated progress throughout the continent is being strengthened by stronger well being programs and laboratory capability.
He stated by mid-2025, 11 WHO-supported laboratories had expanded genomic sequencing capabilities, whereas six started piloting superior detection methods.
He additionally stated Uganda’s Sanger sequencing facility, accredited earlier this yr, has improved regional capability for variant monitoring.
The Regional Director added that environmental surveillance has additionally expanded considerably, with 98 per cent of nations within the WHO African Area now monitoring wastewater and sewage for polioviruses, offering early warnings of potential transmission.
He additionally highlighted how digital innovation is reworking operations.
“Over 850,000 frontline well being staff now obtain digital funds through mobile-money platforms, with 95 per cent paid inside 10 days of finishing campaigns,” he stated.
“Geospatial mapping by the WHO Africa GIS Centre has additional helped nations find and attain kids in distant and nomadic populations that had been beforehand missed.”
Challenges stay
Regardless of these positive aspects, Mr Janabi warned that the final mile of eradication stays the toughest.
He stated declining routine immunisation protection, insecurity, vaccine hesitancy, and marketing campaign interruptions proceed to pose dangers to the progress made.
“To really finish polio, nations should maintain cross-border coordination, attain zero-dose and under-immunised kids, increase surveillance and sequencing capability, and preserve high-quality outbreak response,” he stated.
Mr Janabi burdened that ending polio in Africa is about greater than halting transmission.
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Because the continent strikes nearer to a polio-free future, WHO urged governments, donors and communities to maintain dedication, funding, and coordinated motion.
Polio
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a extremely infectious viral illness that primarily impacts kids underneath the age of 5.
The virus spreads primarily by way of contaminated water or meals and might invade the nervous system, inflicting paralysis, and in extreme instances, dying. Though there is no such thing as a treatment, the illness may be prevented by way of protected and efficient vaccination.
