Polio, a disease that has marked human history, continues to shake some countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo. While the country successfully eliminated wild poliovirus in 2015, it faces a new threat: vaccine-derived poliovirus. Despite progress in the fight against poliomyelitis, the DRC has recorded more than a thousand cases of derived poliovirus between 2022 and 2023.
It is in this context that the Rotary Club Kinshasa held a press conference on October 24 to take stock of the polio situation in the DRC. According to statistics, the number of polio cases has decreased by 99% worldwide, but two variants of the virus are still circulating in the DRC: the type 2 variant poliovirus since 2017 and the type 1 variant poliovirus since 2022.
Since 2017, the country has recorded around 960 children paralyzed from vaccine-derived poliovirus. In 2022, there were 317 cases of poliovirus type 2 and in 2023, so far, there have been 108 cases. For type 1 poliovirus, there were 143 cases in 2022 and 76 cases in 2023. Faced with this situation, a strategic plan was developed to deal with poliomyelitis in the DRC.
During the press conference, Elisabeth Mukamba, coordinator of “COUP”, called on the Congolese community, particularly the media, to become more involved in the fight against polio. She stressed the importance of raising awareness about vaccination and working together to achieve eradication of the disease.
The Congolese government is also engaged in this fight, purchasing vaccines and collaborating with partners such as UNICEF and GPEI. However, to end poliovirus-derived outbreaks, it is essential to strengthen routine immunization, improve outbreak response, and strengthen surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative, led by national governments and partners including WHO, Rotary International and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, supports the Congolese government’s efforts. Thanks to this partnership, nearly 600 consultants have been deployed to the field and more than 20 million dollars have been mobilized to ensure the success of vaccination operations across the country.
The fight against poliomyelitis in the DRC is a major challenge, but with the collaboration of all stakeholders and raising awareness among the population, we can hope to eradicate this disease by 2024. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure a polio-free future for future generations. It is therefore crucial to continue supporting polio control and awareness efforts in the DRC and around the world.