As Africa approaches a critical juncture in the fight against polio, World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, has called for renewed commitment to eradicate the disease across the continent.
In her message for World Polio Day 2024, Dr. Moeti reflected on the decade-long battle that has brought Africa closer to a polio-free future, emphasizing both the progress made and the challenges that remain.
“We are now closer than ever to a polio-free Africa, but much work remains,” she noted, paying tribute to the tireless efforts of governments, healthcare workers, and communities across the continent.
Dr. Moeti highlighted significant achievements, such as Madagascar going a full year without detecting circulating variant poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) and the closure of the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) outbreak in Southern Africa.
“This progress is reflected in the data, which shows a 96% reduction in cVDPV1 detections and a 65% drop in cVDPV2 cases across Africa compared to 2023.”
However, persistent challenges in regions like the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel, where insecurity and limited healthcare access have fueled the spread of cVDPV2, remain a pressing concern.
In 2024 alone, 134 cases of polio type 2 were reported across countries including Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Chad.
In response, governments and partners, including WHO and UNICEF, have launched a coordinated effort to tackle the virus in these high-risk areas. Since the start of the year, nearly 70 million children have been vaccinated in these regions.
Dr. Moeti stressed the importance of political commitment in sustaining these efforts, calling on leaders to enhance cross-border collaboration and accelerate vaccinations.
Vigilance remains critical, Dr. Moeti added, underscoring the need to strengthen surveillance in underserved areas and ramp up high-quality immunization campaigns.
She praised the contributions of community health workers, often the first line of defense in polio vaccination efforts, and urged continued support for their work.
Technological advances in polio diagnostics and laboratory capacity have also played a key role in the fight against polio, with countries like South Africa, Nigeria, and Ghana leading in new methods of early detection.
While these improvements mark significant steps forward, Dr. Moeti urged stakeholders to maintain momentum in eradicating polio.
As she prepares to transition from her role as Regional Director, Dr. Moeti called on all parties to redouble their efforts, emphasizing that the success of Africa in eradicating polio is a victory for the world.
“Together, we can attain a polio-free world,” she added.
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