Ending polio by the end of 2023

1. Ending polio by the end of 2023
Dr Hamid Jafari
Director, Polio Eradication
10 October 2023
Is Bilal our last child paralyzed
by wild poliovirus?

2. Can we stop wild poliovirus (WPV) and circulating vaccine-
derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) by end 2023?
“Interruption of WPV transmission is possible within
the next six months...”
Caveat: political, security and community support to
reach every child.
Technical Advisory Group, June 2023
Goal 1: Stopping endemic WPV1 transmission
“Off track” but can still be met by mid-2024
Goal 2: Stopping cVDPV2 transmission globally,
“Will be missed”
Independent Monitoring Board, July 2023
Goal 1: WPV Goal 2: cVDPV2

3. WPV1 persists  the end is possible within 6 months
WPV1 transmission zone
2023
Afghanistan: 6 cases
Pakistan: 3 cases
0
10
20
30
40
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Mar
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Jul
Sep
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Mar
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2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
numbers
Wild poliovirus cases, Afghanistan and Pakistan
PAK AFG

4. Ending vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreak, Somalia
Somalia: Much improved access, nOPV2
deployed, end of outbreak possible in a
few months

5. Can we end the vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreak in Yemen?
Yemen: Still no permission for
outbreak response vaccination in
northern governorates  outbreak has
declined but it will resurge
230 polio cases in Yemen
2023 2022 2021
2 162 66

6. Ending vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreak, Sudan
Sudan: Outbreak response and
surveillance disrupted by conflict
– risk of spread is low
– no detection since January
Transportation routes for laboratory samples
from Sudan to Egypt.

7. Rapid response to vaccine-derived poliovirus event, Egypt
cVDPV2 detections in Egypt
Egypt: cVDPV2 outbreak closed
Recent VDPV2-n emergence
0
1
2
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Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul Sep
2020 2021 2022 2023
number cVDPV2 cVDPV2-n

8. Regional certification of polio eradication
We must prevent and stop all outbreaks, and prepare
for certification of polio eradication
Non-polio AFP reporting rates
Is the Region ready for certification of polio
eradication?

9. Requests for the
Subcommittee
Sustain and further focus regional
and national commitments to stop
endemic polio
Help chart pathway to protect
children in Yemen
Enhance national ownership of polio
transition

10. “The Subcommittee has played a vital role
in ensuring collective ownership of the
priority for action on the polio endemic
status of Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well
as the outbreak countries in the Region. Dr
Al-Mandhari’s leadership will be greatly
missed and it is essential that the new
Regional Director, when elected, takes the
helm of this committee immediately”
Independent Monitoring Board, September 2023
Thank you!