What is that Polio Picture?
The Fight against falling 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.
January 13, 2023 marks 12 years since the last case of wild poliovirus in India – a remarkable public health success.
“It seemed impossible until it was done!”
– Dr Hamid Jafari, Director of Polio for WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region
Dr. Jafari said reflecting on his time eradicating polio in India and what lessons we can take from this to address the final challenges for achieving eradication in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A Win Against Polio is a Win for Global Health!
2023 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 0
New Polio Cases & Samples This Week –Afghanistan – 2 WPV1 Samples, Algeria – 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Cameroon – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Chad – 2 cVDPV Cases, DR Congo – 16 cVDPV1 Cases + 19 cVDPV2 Cases, Nigeria – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Somalia – 1 cVDPV2 Case, Zambia – 2 cVDPV Samples.
2022 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total – 660. Afghanistan – 43, Algeria – 2, Benin – 10 (3 in 2021), Cameroon – 1 (3 in 2021), Central African Republic – 4, Chad – 25 (0 in 2021), DR Congo – 304 (28 in 2021), Eritrea – 1, Ethiopia – 1, Ghana – 3, Indonesia – 1, Israel – 1, Madagascar – 13 (13 in 2021), Malawi – 3, Mozambique – 18 (2 in 2021), Niger – 14 (18 in 2021), Nigeria – 42 (415 in 2021), Pakistan – 8, Somalia – 4 (1 in 2021), Sudan – 1, Togo – 2, United States – 1, Yemen – 159 (69 in 2021).
2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases -689 in 22 Countries.
2020 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases – 1,113 in 26 countries in 2020.
Quote of the Day
”This is a changing world; we must be prepared to change with it. The story of Rotary will have to be written again and again.”
— Paul P. Harris, Rotary’s Founder
The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:
Pakistan
as of 1/20/2023
0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/20/22.
0 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
20 Wild Polio cases – 2022
1 Wild Polio case – 2021
84 Wild Polio cases – 2020
Afghanistan
as of 1/20/2023
0 new Polio cases reported this week. The most recent cases had an onset of paralysis on 9/10/22.
2 WPV1 and 0 CVDPV2-Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
2 Wild Polio case – 2022
4 Wild Polio cases – 2021
56 Wild Polio cases – 2020
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
Terry Ziegler, Endowment/Major Gifts Adviser Rotary Region 36