Polio Surveillance Has Never Been More Important
Rotary’s World-wide 2021-22 Rotary Year Polio Fundraising Goal is
$150 Million – Including the Gates Foundation $2 to $1 Match
In Yemen, Dr Mutahar Ahmed leads the country’s acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance efforts, which are vital to tracking Poliovirus transmission. Despite long-running conflict, a critical humanitarian situation and a cVDPV2 outbreak, wide-reaching AFP surveillance in Yemen tells a promising story where health workers are able to detect polio spread and inform response tactics.
Along with strong surveillance systems, vaccination campaigns, like the continued nationwide campaigns in Afghanistan, are crucial in order to stop all forms of polio everywhere.
WHO thanks the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation approved PolioPlus grants totaling almost US$ 22.5 million at their June 2022 meeting, in support of technical assistance to the African Region, Pakistan operations, global outbreak response, and research projects in the UK and Nigeria.
A Win Against Polio is a Win For Global Health!
2022 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total - 235 Afghanistan - 43, Algeria - 1, Benin - 2 (3 in 2021), Chad - 9 (0 in 2021), DR Congo - 64 (28 in 2021), Eritrea - 1, Ghana - 1, Israel - 1, Madagascar - 8 (13 in 2021), Mozambique - 1 (2 in 2021), Niger - 8 (18 in 2021), Nigeria - 30 (415 in 2021), Pakistan - 8, Somalia - 2 (1 in 2021), Togo - 1, Yemen - 54 (69 in 2021) .
2021 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Case Total - 689 in 22 Countries. 2020 Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Cases - 1,113 in 26 Countries.
New Polio Cases & Samples Week ending 8/06/22 - Madagascar - 27 cVDPV1 Samples, Nigeria - 1 cVDPV2 Sample, Pakistan - 1 WPV1 Case.
Quote of the Day - "You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realize how seldom they do.” David Foster Wallace from "Infinite Jest"
The Final Two Polio Endemic Countries:
Pakistan One new Wild Polio cases reported this week. Fourteen Wild Polio cases reported in 2022. One Wild Polio Case reported in 2021. The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 7/01/22. No WPV1 Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Pakistan.
Afghanistan No new Wild Polio cases reported this week. One Wild Polio Case reported in 2022 . Four Wild Polio cases reported in 2021 The most recent case had an onset of paralysis on 1/11/22. Afghanistan reported 56 Wild Polio cases in 2020. No WPV1 or cVDPV2 Positive Environmental Samples were reported this week in Afghanistan.
Our Goal is Global Polio Eradication!!
Terry Ziegler, Polio Update Newsletter Editor