More than 168 million children vaccinated in 22 African countries, but renewed virus detection and gaps in immunisation threaten progress.
By Bunmi Yekini
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that funding shortages and gaps in vaccination coverage threaten Africa’s efforts to eradicate polio, urging governments and international partners to increase investment in immunisation and disease surveillance.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, gave the warning in a message to mark World Polio Day 2026, stressing that sustained political commitment and rapid outbreak response were essential to protecting children across the continent.
Janabi said the detection of poliovirus type 1 in Madagascar, following the closure of an earlier outbreak in 2025, demonstrated how quickly progress could be threatened when vaccination coverage remained inadequate.
He noted, however, that independent assessments had confirmed the closure of type 2 poliovirus outbreaks in Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of the Congo and Uganda this year.
The WHO African Region was certified free of indigenous wild poliovirus in 2020, a milestone Janabi attributed to determined leadership and collective action.
Between January and September 2026, more than 168 million children received at least one dose of polio vaccine through 55 campaign rounds in 22 African countries, according to the WHO official.
He commended health workers, community leaders and parents for their roles in reaching children, while highlighting the importance of cooperation between neighbouring countries.
In March, coordinated vaccination campaigns in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Namibia protected more than 10 million children. Laboratory evidence of genetically linked viruses helped guide the joint response.
Despite these achievements, Janabi said funding constraints were forcing programmes to prioritise high-risk areas, leaving other vulnerable communities without sufficient protection.
He identified the Lake Chad Basin and the DRC as areas of particular concern because of continued transmission. In the DRC, additional vaccination rounds needed to respond to a type 2 outbreak remained unfunded, threatening progress towards the 2026 eradication targets.
Janabi stressed that children needed all recommended vaccine doses, supported by reliable routine immunisation services. Conflict, displacement, distance and concerns about vaccines continued to prevent some families from accessing protection.
He urged authorities to bring vaccination services closer to communities and engage parents respectfully to address their questions.
The WHO official also highlighted improvements in surveillance and laboratory capacity. In 2025, laboratories across the region tested more than 100,000 polio samples, with over 90 per cent analysed within agreed timelines.
Sequencing capacity expanded from two to four laboratories, while the proportion of sequencing results delivered within agreed timelines increased from below 50 per cent to nearly 70 per cent.
The accreditation of Nigeria’s Maiduguri laboratory in 2026 further strengthened regional capacity, while emerging technologies, including Direct Detection Nanopore Sequencing, offered opportunities to reduce laboratory turnaround times.
Janabi said health ministers had also adopted a regional framework for polio transition and sustainability covering 2026 to 2035, aimed at integrating polio expertise into national health systems and strengthening routine immunisation and emergency preparedness.
He called on governments to sustain political leadership and domestic funding, while urging international partners to provide predictable financial support.
“Polio eradication is within reach,” Janabi said, warning that finishing the job required urgent action, accountability and sustained investment to secure a polio-free Africa for every child.