POLIO NEWS - December 2022
 download PDF POLIO NEWS December 2022 Dear polio eradication supporter, While 2022 featured several high-profile detections of poliovirus around the world, the year was also marked by significant progress that has set us up to achieve success in 2023. As last year drew to a close, independent technical expert and advisory groups looked back at the results of 2022 efforts and were optimistic about their findings. Their key takeaways? First, only one “family” of wild poliovirus remains in circulation in Pakistan. Second, variant polio cases in Nigeria—a historic center for transmission—fell to just nine cases in the second half of 2022. Third, despite the importation of wild poliovirus into Malawi and Mozambique this past year, successful outbreak response is consistently improving, and vaccination campaigns are reaching millions of children. Each of these instances is proof that our strategies are working, and experts remain confident that by building on this momentum and learning from developments in 2023, we can achieve a polio-free world. The WHO Executive Board will take place on 30 January to 7 February 2023. Two reports will inform Member State discussions on the global effort to eradicate polio, namely on status of polio eradication, and on polio transition planning and post-certification. The fight against dropping immunization rates In Senegal last month, African heads of state came together at the Forum on Immunization and Polio Eradication in Africa to reaffirm their commitments to tackle declining immunization rates and the resurgence of polio across the region. To ensure vaccines safely reach each child, specific strategies must be deployed in every country and sub-region, dependent on conflict zones and political climate. With careful planning and political commitment, investment in routine immunization efforts, and a focus on restrengthening health systems across Africa, we can improve efforts to end polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases. Reaching every child with the polio vaccine As traditional head of Northwest Nigeria’s Gagi community, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi has taken it upon himself to ensure that every child in the area is reached with the polio vaccine. By sensitizing residents to the importance of immunization and engaging directly with influential women and community leaders, he is paving the way towards a polio-free Gagi. Through community engagement like this and with support from WHO and the GPEI, the Government of Nigeria is on its way to interrupting the spread of type 2 variant poliovirus. Here’s how they plan to finish the job. Achieving a polio-free Pakistan Achieving a polio-free Pakistan in 2023 is possible—but only if we build on positive momentum from 2022. That’s what a high-level global delegation on polio, led by the Polio Oversight Board Chair and WHO and UNICEF Regional Directors, reaffirmed after a visit to the country in early December. Success will rely on sustained political commitment and collaborative effort between donors, health workers, partners and the government, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already pledged his full support. Read on for more about the delegation’s visit. POLIO IN NUMBERSWild Poliovirus in 2022 (2021)* Global Total: 30 (5) Circulating Vaccine Derived Poliovirus in 2022 (2021)* Global Total: 581 (581) *Data as of 4 January 2023. Numbers in brackets represent data at this time in 2021. Breakdown by country Polio this week POLIO IN THE NEWS
WHO: Global Polio Eradication Initiative implements gender equality strategy in Zimbabwe’s polio fight (14 December 2022) GPEI: Getting ahead of the game (12 December 2022) STAT: CDC launches initiative to test wastewater for polioviruses in some communities. (Helen Branswell, 30 November 2022) AP: Pakistan launches new anti-polio drive amid spike in cases (28 November 2022) DONOR UPDATESUNICEF would like to extend its gratitude to The Government of Japan for its generous contribution of US$ 3.9 million to support polio eradication efforts in Pakistan. These funds will be used to procure essential oral polio vaccines, which will reach more than 18.6 million children under five years old living in endemic and outbreak districts. UNICEF is grateful to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the United Arab Emirates for its generous US$ 12 million contribution to support social and behavior change initiatives and the delivery of polio vaccines to protect millions of hard-to-reach children in Afghanistan, Pakistan and over 20 countries affected by polio outbreaks in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions. WHO would like to thank the United Kingdom for releasing £20 million to WHO as part of a larger contribution to polio eradication global efforts. PHOTO OF THE MONTH A health worker educates a parent on polio vaccination during a campaign in Nigeria. ©Rotary International            |
