Polio Eradication in the African Region: Progress and Way Forward

ABSTRACT

In 2012 the declaration of global polio eradication as a programmatic emergency for public health targets resulted in the setting of objectives and a schedule for eradication. Innovative approaches were taken to address the polio situation in the African Region. Supplementary immunization activities; planning; monitoring and surveillance have all been stepped up; and technological advances such as GPS and the use of polio dashboards to monitor key performance data have been employed. Key priority countries (Angola; Chad; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Nigeria) and communities (including nomadic groups) have been targeted.Great progress has been documented; for example routine immunization has risen from less than10 in 1980 to 77 in 2013. However; there are still some challenges to overcome; notably wild poliovirus outbreaks and three remaining foci of transmission - Nigeria; the Central Africa subregion and the Horn of Africa. This article charts the steps taken and the continuing action needed to realise the aim of polio eradication