POLIO NEWS - August 2022
 download PDF POLIO NEWS August 2022 Dear polio eradication supporter, In July, a case of variant poliovirus type 2 (VDPV2) was detected in the US, just weeks after the virus was detected in wastewater samples in the UK. Polio’s return to areas that had been unaffected for decades, also seen in recent outbreaks of wild poliovirus (WPV1) in Malawi and Mozambique, is a stark reminder that as long as polio exists anywhere, it remains a threat everywhere. The re-emergence of polio can be explained by many factors, including vaccine hesitancy and a global drop in childhood vaccination rates, but it’s clear today that no matter the location, anyone not vaccinated against polio is at risk. To prevent further cases of paralysis, all countries must maintain high vaccination coverage and robust disease surveillance. Fully funding the 2022-2026 GPEI strategy is the best way to protect people everywhere into the future, keeping polio from spreading across borders and around the world. Until we eradicate polio worldwide, it will always be just a plane ride away. Welcoming Jennifer Jones, New Rotary President This July, Jennifer Jones made history as the first woman to take office as President of Rotary International. During her term, Jones plans to focus on building new relationships and establishing collaborations as she oversees Rotary’s top goal of polio eradication alongside its GPEI partners. Among her first activities as President, Jones visited Pakistan where she toured the National Emergency Operations Centre, spoke with Dr Hamid Jafari (Polio Eradication Director, WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean) and other polio programme leadership, and met with the nation’s female health workers who play a crucial role in building the trust of caretakers to reach all children in the country with polio vaccines. African Ministers of Health Commit to Polio Eradication Efforts This year’s detection of imported wild poliovirus in Malawi and Mozambique set off a series of coordinated campaigns across East Africa, as countries acted to swiftly protect their populations and prevent further transmission. On 24 August, in a special side session to the 72nd Meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Lomé, Togo, Ministers of Health from these responding committed to improving vaccination campaigns, strengthening disease surveillance and continuing to lead in the rollout of the novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2), hearing from Dr Matshidiso Moeti (WHO Regional Director for Africa), Dr Modjirom Ndoutabe (Polio Programme Coordinator, WHO African Region) and Chris Elias (Chair, Polio Oversight Board) on what is needed to keep Africa wild polio-free. Afghanistan, one year on from political transition The transition of power in Afghanistan in August 2021 left the fate of nation’s polio programme uncertain at a critical moment, with wild poliovirus cases at a historic low. But since November, seven nationwide vaccination campaigns have now set out to vaccinate over three million children who had never been reached with polio vaccines due to local-level bans on immunization. Increased access has also led to improved disease monitoring activities, and in June, the first review of Afghanistan’s polio surveillance systems in six years left the programme confident that these efforts have been successful. See what it took to complete the assessment of Afghanistan’s disease monitoring tools in this diary of a polio surveillance reviewer. POLIO IN NUMBERSWild Poliovirus in 2022 (2021)* Global Total: 21 (2) Circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus in 2022 (2021)* Global Total: 272 (273) *Data as of 30 August 2022. Numbers in brackets represent data at this time in 2021. Breakdown by country Polio this week POLIO IN THE NEWSNPR: Striving to outrace polio: What’s it like living with disease (29 August 2022) CBC: This polio survivor is promoting vaccinations amid global outbreak (26 August 2022) The New Yorker: The potential tragedy of polio in New York (Dhruv Khullar, 22 August 2022) The New York Times: Polio Was Almost Eradicated. This Year It Staged a Comeback. (Apoorva Mandavilli, 18 August 2022) The Guardian: The Guardian view on polio: we have the tools to tackle this old enemy (16 August 2022) DONOR UPDATES ? Do you know an outstanding health worker or innovator working to end polio, stop COVID-19 or fight another disease? After two and a half years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 REACH Awards are now open for nominations! Established in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, the prestigious Recognizing Excellence Around Champions of Health (REACH) Awards aim to acknowledge those who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment in the field of disease elimination. Submit your nominations here before 18 September. PHOTO OF THE MONTH Jennifer Jones, President of Rotary International (in green), shadows female health workers as they carry out polio immunization activities in Pakistan.   
 |
