It is with deep concern that the world marks World Polio Day, as Africa records 134 new cases of polio in at least seven countries, according to information from the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa.
The circulating polio type 2 variant has been detected in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Niger and Nigeria, according to statements by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti.
In 2023, 541 children worldwide were affected by polio, 85% of whom reside in 31 fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable countries, as revealed by a recent UNICEF analysis for World Polio Day.
Over the past five years, the number of polio cases in these regions has more than doubled, and routine childhood immunization rates have fallen by 75 to 70 per cent, well below the 95 per cent needed to achieve community immunity.
The global decline in childhood immunization rates has led to a resurgence of polio outbreaks, even in countries that had been free of the disease for many years.
This is particularly acute in conflict-affected areas, with 15 of 21 countries in such settings, including Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, currently facing polio challenges.
In response to this surge in polio cases, UNICEF and partners have stepped up emergency response efforts.
In Gaza, for example, UNICEF, working with WHO, successfully vaccinated nearly 600,000 children under 10 during the initial phase of a polio vaccination campaign last September.
The second and final phase was successfully completed in southern and central Gaza, although massive displacement and ongoing bombardment hampered efforts in the northern region.
This campaign marks the return of polio to Gaza after a 25-year absence.
In Sudan, the national childhood vaccination rate has plummeted from 85 per cent before the conflict to just 53 per cent in 2023, with coverage in areas of active conflict falling to just 30 per cent.
In response, UNICEF and partners have conducted two emergency polio vaccination campaigns in recent months, successfully reaching 2.9 million children under five through door-to-door efforts.
Effective polio vaccination initiatives in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable regions are essential to prevent new cases and protect children already at risk..
Allowing compassionate pauses to allow health workers to safely access children and administer vaccines is crucial, as the health of our children is the top priority to protect our shared future.