IVD Features

Eradicating Polio in the African Region: 2011 Annual Report

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Polio eradication remains one of the top priorities for WHO in the African Region. Efforts to eradicate polio began in 1988 with the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). At that time, polio paralyzed nearly 1000 children every day. As a result of massive efforts from national governments, coupled with significant technical and financial support of international partners, wild poliovirus (WPV) cases have fallen by 99%. At the end 2011, the total number of reported WPV cases was half of that reported in 2010, with 54% recorded in the African Region. Of the 12 countries that experienced importation of WPV in 2011, 11 successfully interrupted transmission within 6 months.

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Second African Vaccination Week, 23-28 April 2012

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The African Region commemorates from 23 to 28 April 2012 the second African Vaccination Week. This year's AVW is "An Unimmunized Child is One Too Many. Give Polio the Final Push". The AVW is a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards the eradication of polio. In 2011, the African Region recorded only 350 polio cases.

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The Third African Regional Conference on Immunization (ARCI)

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Theme: “Towards a Polio-free Africa.”

The specific objectives of this conference are:

  1. To review the progress in implementation of immunization programme activities in the Region and propose the way forward;
  2. To exchange technical updates and up-to date scientific developments;
  3. To identify and advance research questions in the area of immunization in the African Region; 
  4. To improve advocacy and partnerships in immunization and related activities.

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Meningitis vaccination campaign to reach 300 million by 2016

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Chad has launched a mass campaign to vaccinate nearly 2 million people against meningitis A, the primary cause of epidemic meningitis in sub-Saharan Africa. This is part of a multi-year immunization campaign covering the 25 countries of the African meningitis belt. Cameroon and Nigeria also began campaigns last week, with Mali and Niger completing the campaigns which they began last year. 

More on the meningitis vaccine project

Read the fact sheet on meningitis