Lusaka – African health minister have pledged renewed action to end all forms of polio and safeguard the gains of eradication that have seen millions of children across the region saved from the devastation of poliovirus.

Gathering in two high-level sessions during the Seventy-fifth sessions of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa in Lusaka, Zambia from 25 to 27 August 2025, the ministers committed to stronger coordinated action, including closer cross-border collaboration to end polio for good. 

Ministers and partners agreed that integration of polio services with the rest of essential services is key to health resource efficiency, while also improving trust among communities.

Recent wins include Madagascar’s closure of its circulating type 1 poliovirus outbreak in May 2025 after rigorous assessments. Yet circulating variant poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) continues to circulate, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin and Horn of Africa. As of mid-2025, 177 polioviruses have been reported across 15 African countries, with the majority concentrated in the Lake Chad Basin and the Horn of Africa.

“Thanks to steadfast partnerships and tireless community efforts, we have achieved historic milestone, yet variant poliovirus type 2 continues to circulate, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin,” said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Africa has beaten wild polio twice. Now we must end all variants, safeguard our gains and build systems that will protect generations to come. We have the evidence, we have the infrastructure, and we have the will. Let us now deliver the legacy,” Dr Janabi said.

Importantly, type 3 poliovirus (absent since 2022) has also been detected in the last 12 months in Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Chad, underscoring the need for rigorous surveillance and rapid response.

Ministers and partners agreed on targeted strategies, noting the importance of strengthening microplanning to ensure no child is missed, including in nomadic and hard-to-reach communities. Also, countries discussed the deployment of experienced supervisors and independent monitors to raise campaign quality, while intensifying cross-border coordination in mobile population areas.

Innovations such as the Geographic Tracking Systems (GTS) in Chad and Niger are already improving campaign reach through satellite-based settlement mapping and performance tracking. In fact, the improvements have been seen already in Chad between Round 1 and Round 2: Post-campaign Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAs) evaluations showed that the proportion of districts achieving the desired coverage in April’s campaign was 47%, rising to 64% in June, and so Member States were encouraged to continue enhancing campaign quality.

“Cross-border collaboration remains key. One country’s outbreak is a risk to all,” said Dr Gedi Mohamed, WHO AFRO Polio Eradication Programme coordinator.

The Special Session also addressed polio transition, integrating essential eradication functions into national health systems to protect progress beyond the GPEI’s support. Fifteen countries are actively planning their transitions, while 32 others, though officially transitioned, still face sustainability gaps.

The transition involves gradually reducing reliance on support from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), while strengthening national ownership and capacity. Key functions such as disease surveillance, immunization expertise, laboratory capacity, and emergency response systems are central to this process. 

In the region, 15 countries have been prioritized for active transition planning, while another 32, though officially transitioned, continue to face challenges in maintaining these vital capacities. The transition process is guided by a Global Vision within a strategic framework alongside a regional strategic plan currently in development, country specific action plans, and a monitoring and evaluation framework.

"In recent months, countries across Africa have made extraordinary strides in the fight against polio—from opening labs that can quickly detect transmission to closing variant polio outbreaks through strengthened vaccination campaigns. This progress demonstrates what’s possible when countries and communities lead the way. Together, we can deliver and sustain a polio-free Africa, where every child is protected from polio's devastating consequences," said Dr. Chris Elias, President of Global Development at the Gates Foundation and Chair of the Polio Oversight Board (POB).

With refreshed plans to stop orphan viruses, reach nomadic children, and boost quality, African leaders are signalling that the endgame is in sight and that the continent can consign polio to history.