Publications

In the third quarter of 2025, the WHO African Region made decisive strides in the fight against polio — marked by strong political commitment, expanded laboratory capacity, and unprecedented vaccination efforts.

The momentum began in August at the 75th WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Lusaka, where African health ministers pledged to “accelerate the polio endgame.” They committed to sustaining political leadership, integrating polio assets into broader health systems, and reinforcing cross-border coordination to prevent future outbreaks.

In September, Côte d’Ivoire inaugurated a newly upgraded polio laboratory at the Institut Pasteur in Abidjan, equipped with advanced sequencing technologies to speed up virus detection and strengthen surveillance across West Africa. At the same time, Kenya’s KEMRI laboratory as well as South Africa also expanded its sequencing capacity, further stepping up the region’s ability to detect and respond to poliovirus swiftly.

Then in October, Nigeria launched an integrated vaccination campaign — one of the largest in Africa — targeting over 106 million children with measles, rubella, and polio vaccines. This milestone highlighted how polio infrastructure continues to support wider health goals.

Taken together, these developments show how high-level political will, stronger laboratory systems, and ambitious vaccination drives are accelerating progress towards a polio-free Africa.