Horn of Africa and Yemen Strengthen Commitment to Eradicate Variant Poliovirus by 2027
During the Interministerial Meeting on Polio in the Horn of Africa and Yemen, held on May 20, 2026, alongside the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), participating nations reaffirmed their dedication to eliminating variant poliovirus transmission. This commitment was underscored through enhanced cross-border coordination, improved surveillance, and synchronized action. The meeting was co-hosted by the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO), with WHO Regional Director for Africa, Professor Mohamed Janabi, presiding.
Regional Collaboration to Combat Polio
The meeting convened Ministers of Health and senior officials from Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen, along with partners from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and representatives from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The focus was on accelerating regional collaboration to halt transmission in a complex epidemiological landscape characterized by interconnected populations.
The Horn of Africa and Yemen represent one of the most challenging polio epidemiological regions globally, influenced by population movements across porous borders, humanitarian crises, insecurity, and persistent immunity gaps. Countries in this bloc continue to grapple with outbreaks of variant poliovirus, notably Somalia’s ongoing variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) outbreak, first identified in 2017, and Yemen’s cVDPV2 outbreak, which has paralyzed 452 children since 2021, primarily in the northern governorates.
Progress Amid Challenges
Despite these significant challenges, recent developments indicate that coordinated efforts are yielding positive results. Kenya has reported no poliovirus cases since July 2024. Ethiopia achieved a remarkable 98% reduction in detections of circulating variant poliovirus types 1 and 2 in 2025. Djibouti has also recorded no detections of these variants since May 2025, following intensified response measures. Earlier this year, Ethiopia and South Sudan initiated synchronized vaccination campaigns after the detection of variant poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) near their shared border, emphasizing the ongoing risk of cross-border transmission.
H.E. Ali Haji Adam, Minister of Health of Somalia, stated that polio eradication remains a top priority. He emphasized Somalia’s commitment to interrupting transmission by reducing the number of zero-dose children, enhancing accountability, improving access to hard-to-reach communities, and reinforcing regional collaboration to address cross-border population movement. He acknowledged the continued support from multilateral and GPEI partners.
Importance of Vaccination and Surveillance
Ethiopia’s Minister of Health, H.E. Mekdes Daba, highlighted the necessity of maintaining momentum through high-quality vaccination campaigns, stronger routine immunization, and effective surveillance. She noted that the meeting provided a crucial opportunity to enhance coordination with neighboring countries and regional mechanisms to stop transmission.
Participants at the meeting stressed that sustained political commitment and collaboration are vital to halting transmission in a region where mobility, insecurity, and humanitarian emergencies exacerbate the risk of spread. Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, remarked on the importance of protecting every child amid competing health emergencies and financial pressures. He emphasized that stronger cross-border coordination and robust surveillance are essential for sustaining progress and safeguarding communities.
Addressing Financial Challenges
The meeting occurred in a challenging global health financing environment, marked by declining external funding for polio eradication. Ministers underscored the need for increased domestic resource mobilization, prioritization, and efficient implementation of activities to maintain progress despite operational pressures such as fuel shortages and rising costs.
Government representatives reiterated their commitment to enhancing the quality of vaccination campaigns, strengthening routine immunization, and closing immunity gaps, particularly among underserved populations in border communities, remote rural areas, and mobile groups. They also pledged to improve poliovirus surveillance, expand community-based surveillance in hard-to-reach areas, and integrate vaccination with broader health services for timely outbreak detection and rapid response.
Mr. Michael McGovern, Chair of the Polio Oversight Board (POB), commended the countries for their efforts to conduct high-quality polio activities despite funding constraints. He emphasized the necessity of maintaining momentum through strong surveillance and sustained commitment to stop poliovirus transmission.
Dr. Chris Elias, a member of the POB and President of the Global Development Program at the Gates Foundation, spoke on behalf of GPEI partners, stressing the importance of reaching unvaccinated children and leveraging initiatives such as Gavi’s rollout of hexavalent vaccines to enhance protection against preventable diseases.
As the meeting concluded, ministers reaffirmed their collective commitment to sustained collaboration, coordinated action, and stronger oversight to protect children from polio, ensuring that no country in the region is left behind in the eradication effort.
Source: www.zawya.com
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Published on 2026-05-23 20:46:00 • By the Editorial Desk
