As part of the efforts to stay polio-free, Member States in the WHO Western Pacific Region have begun to conduct sub-national risk assessments to weigh up the extent to which an imported wild poliovirus could spread and cause a polio outbreak. Subsequently, countries are implementing risk mitigation activities and aiming at increasing their population immunity, the best defence against imported poliovirus.
In Cambodia a supplementary immunization activity (SIA) focusing on measles was conducted from February to April 2011 targeting children 9 to 59 months of age. One dose of oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) was provided to 345,015 children ages 0 to 59 months of age living in high risk communities. The 2nd round of measles SIA was conducted from 1 to 30 November. The SIA aimed this time at high risk villages previously identified by a national EPI Review in 2010, and by the results of the 1st round in February 2011. OPV was again provided to 249,914 children aged 0 to 59 months, and in both rounds Vitamin A and Mebendazole were also given. This approach focusing on high risk areas will not only make a significant contribution to measles elimination by 2012 but also to keeping the country polio-free.
In a similar approach to maximise opportunities, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic used a national measles-rubella (MR) SIA conducted in November and December 2011 to also provide OPV to all children from birth to 59 months of age. Initial plans had been to conduct only MR SIA together with the Child Health Days (which traditionally give vitamin A and Mebendazol) but the current situation in the Region with the wild poliovirus importation and subsequent polio outbreak in China made the Government of the Lao PDR recognize the risk and add OPV to the measles immunization campaign. Over 88% of the target age group have been vaccinated with OPV; that is 716,478 children. As some mop-up activities are still going on, the final coverage is expected to exceed 90%.
Baby in the Lao People's Democratic Republic is receiving supplementary immunization against polio
Viet Nam had identified in its subnational risk assessment exercise that 1,080 communes in 77 high risk districts in 23 provinces would required supplementary immunization. A total of 777,746 children from birth to 4 years old were targeted to receive two extra doses of OPV in two rounds of SIAs conducted from September to November 2011. This represents approximately 10% of all children under 5 years old.
Prof. Nguyen Tran Hien, (Director, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Viet Nam), providing OPV in Ha Giang during supplementary immunization campaign against polio (photo courtesy of NIHE/MOH Viet Nam)
Review of the polio elimination status of the Western Pacific Region
The 17th meeting of the Regional Commission for the Certification (RCC) of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific Region will take place in Hanoi, Viet Nam from 16-18 November 2011. The main objectives are to review progress reports from all countries and areas and make recommendations on required action for maintaining the Region's polio-free status; to help National Certification Committees and other relevant partners identify mechanisms for closing surveillance and immunization performance gaps and risk mitigation to stay polio-free; to introduce the current post eradication research work of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and its future implication for Member States and to advocate with traditional and new key partners to ensure the necessary resource requirements, as part of an interagency coordinating mechanism.
Participants expected at the meeting include chairpersons and representatives of polio National Certification Committees, technical resource persons and representatives of key partner organizations like Japan International Cooperation Agency, Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Korea International Cooperation Agency, Rotary International, UNICEF, USAID and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Western Pacific Region certified polio-free for 10 years at 16th meeting of the RCC on 29 October 2010
It was a major achievement that the Western Pacific Region had been certified polio-free for 10 years on 29 October 2010 but there is no room for complacency as reminded by the 2011 polio outbreak in Xinjiang, China. This outbreak has been a stark reminder of the vulnerability as long as poliovirus transmission continues in other parts of the world; no matter how long a country has remained polio-free.
The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) works to help Member States remain polio-free by supporting efforts to strengthen surveillance of poliovirus and by assisting with coordinating and enhancing immunization systems. The only way to prevent polio is by immunization, so maintaining high immunization coverage is pivotal to WHO/WPRO’s work on polio.
Related link:
Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) Strategic Plan for 2010-2012
World Polio Day - 24 October 2011
Looking forward to a polio-free world
World Polio Day originally brought people together to remember the birth of a man who led the first team to develop a vaccine against polio, Dr. Jonas Salk. It was the development of this vaccine, and its successor oral polio vaccine, that enabled the world to embark on an ambitious journey – the eradication of polio. Every year on 24 October, people around the world shine a spotlight on the importance of global eradication.
Now World Polio Day is an opportunity for the polio eradication community to renew its promise to future generations. Now 99% of the work is done, and most children born today live free of the imminent threat of polio - including those in the Western Pacific Region. But even in this polio-free region, 18 people have been paralysed by the disease this year, because until poliovirus is eradicated everywhere, it is a threat anywhere and can return at anytime. It is more important than ever that the entire world remains committed to the disease's eradication.
On this World Polio Day, we think of the 467 people who have still been paralysed by polio this year, who would be walking today if polio had been eradicated. Today, we think of the family in China mourning their son who contracted polio and died last month. This week, 80 million children are being vaccinated in Africa and Asia in an effort to make sure that their families do not suffer the same fate.
Australia on World Polio Day
Saudi Arabia vaccination requirements
29 September 2011 - This year's vaccination requirements by Saudi Arabia for the upcoming Hajj have been published in the current Weekly Epidemiological Record. Polio vaccination will, as in past years, again be a requirement for all travellers — regardless of age — from endemic and re-established transmission countries, for travellers under the age of 15 years and for travellers from re-infected and high-risk countries. These measures are key to help minimize the risk of the international spread of polio.
More on Saudi Arabia vaccination requirements
Securing the gains: How international collaboration can protect polio-free areas
"The polio virus is a dangerous enemy and does not recognize international borders. We need intercountry and interregional collaboration for the best possible surveillance and immunization activities."
Those were the words of Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, in a video address to an international workshop on polio eradication held 21 and 22 July, in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China; co-hosted by WHO and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.
This was echoed by more than 40 international public health specialists, senior officials and experts engaged in the field of polio eradication, from China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikstan, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, WHO headquarter and offices in the European Region, South-East Asia Region and Western Pacific Region, and WHO partner agencies.
More on Securing the gains: How international collaboration can protect polio-free areas
Polio Eradication: laboratory containment phase 1
The WHO Western Pacific Region not only has stayed free of wild poliovirus in its populations since certification in October 2000, but also has identified all wild poliovirus infectious and potentially infectious materials stored in biomedical laboratories. This is the important other half of polio eradication. All 37 countries and areas in the Region have completed surveys of relevant biomedical laboratories and established national inventories (see details here: WER No. 37, 2009, 84 and MMWR 2009 / 58(35);975-978) following the requirements laid out for phase 1 wild poliovirus laboratory containment in the WHO Global Action Plan, second edition (GAP II).
More on Laboratory containmentLast update: November 2011
Fact sheets
News and press releases
18 November 2011
China conducts biggest polio immunization campaign
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13 October 2011
WHO's governing body reviews state of preventable diseases in the Western Pacific
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29 October 2010
Western Pacific now 10 years polio-free, but must remain vigilant—WHO
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[more news]
Relevant publications and documents
Poliomyelitis Surveillance Weekly Bulletin
Poliomyelitis surveillance is worldwide based on reporting and investigating cases of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP), rather than just “suspected poliomyelitis”, serving two specific purposes. First, AFP surveillance substantially increases the sensitivity of the surveillance system and allows it to detect the entire spectrum of paralytic poliomyelitis, both classical and atypical cases, and thus wild poliovirus transmission in a population should it occur. Secondly, AFP surveillance provides objective data with which to monitor the quality of surveillance in an individual country or large population group.
59th World Health Assembly - Eradication of Poliomyelitis - Resolution
Polio Eradication in the Western Pacific Region
This book tells the story of how the polio virus was hunted down, cornered in smaller and smaller areas, and then eventually eliminated by an organized determined effort. It was systematically, with good planning, strong efforts in national capitals and in millions of villages and households, supported by a qualition of people and organizations with constant evaluation and review of activities to improve quality and effectiveness. Polio eradication shows what can be accomplished in the area of health when all countries work together in a common effort towards a common goal. This book focuses on practical aspects of getting people to work together, polio supplementary immunization campaigns surveillance systems, surveillance systems, routine immunization. strategic requirements and post certification strategy.
Maintaining the Polio-free Status of the WHO Western Pacific Region - Situation Summary
Regional Commission for the Certification (RCC) of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific Region (15th Meeting - 1-2 December 2009) - Meeting Report
[more publications and documents]
Upcoming meetings and events
No meeting/event planned at this time.