By Published on 26-08-2019Modified on 26-08-2019 at 11:13
Africa, which has just experienced three years without any new cases, is on track to have eradicated the wild polio virus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This success has been made possible by the many measures put in place on the continent, even if there are still some last efforts to provide.
It is the culmination of an effort begun in 1988 in Africa where the wild polio virus affected more than 400,000 people more than thirty years ago. Its eradication then became a global goal. Today, the African continent is about to reach the goal. No new cases have been reported since August 2016. Routine immunization is important.
" Wherever routine immunization coverage is above 95%, there is no mention of polio ," said Dr. Ndouabe of the World Health Organization (WHO). But where it is less than 50%, children are not fully covered. So oral polio immunization campaigns reinforce children's immunity so that we can achieve the goal of eradication . "
Efforts to be made in DRC and Nigeria
" There are many countries for which routine immunization is not optimal ," he continues. Our role now is to further strengthen routine immunization in these different countries so that we can cement the eradication of poliomyelitis in our African region . "
Last but not least efforts are still needed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Chad or Nigeria. But WHO promises to be confident and intends to formally certify the end of wild polio in Africa early next year.
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