On Tuesday 28 February 2023, ministers and high-level delegates from throughout the Japanese Mediterranean Area participated within the seventh assembly of the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks.

The assembly got here at a time of contrasts for polio eradication efforts. On the one hand, the Area’s most up-to-date case of untamed poliovirus was reported virtually 5 months in the past, in Pakistan, and the footprint of the virus is the smallest it has ever been. Moreover, efforts to seek for polioviruses have by no means been stronger and the polio programme has made vital progress in accessing under-immunized youngsters throughout plenty of high-risk nations within the final yr. Alternatively, the Area hosts 4 of the world’s 7 ‘consequential geographies’ – low-resource, high-risk areas in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen that the programme has recognized as carrying a big threat of unfold of polio.

WHO’s Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, who convened this digital assembly, set the tone for the occasion by coining 2023 as a “defining yr” for polio eradication.

He urged all Member States and companions to leverage the chance and momentum of the present second and scale up collective efforts to wipe out polio. “Going ahead, our regional solidarity and concerted motion might be much more necessary, as we transfer nearer to creating historical past and ending polio,” mentioned Dr Al-Mandhari.

Main the demonstration of regional help to polio have been the Co-chairs, Minister of Public Well being of Qatar, HE Dr Hanan Al Kuwari, and Minister of Well being and Prevention United Arab Emirates, HE Mr Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais. They urged collaborating Member States to strengthen routine immunization and think about polio as “all of our downside” till transmission ends in every single place. Additionally they referred to as on Member States to supply all they’ll – funding, advocacy or technical experience – to achieve each little one with vaccines.

Individuals on the assembly additionally included ministers of well being and senior delegates from nations within the Area, along with representatives from the Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis (BMGF), the Facilities for Illness Prevention and Management (CDC), Gavi, Rotary and UNICEF.

In his deal with, the Minister of Nationwide Well being Companies Laws and Coordination of Pakistan up to date the viewers of the well timed and sturdy programmatic actions the nation has been taking to finish polio. Within the face of catastrophic floods, the nation turned response efforts into a chance to supply polio vaccines to youngsters wherever potential. Moreover, Pakistan is utilizing artistic methods, equivalent to truck artwork, to achieve out to weak communities residing in hard-to-reach areas.

Throughout discussions, the delegate from Egypt and the Minister of Well being of Yemen supplied updates on their polio eradication efforts, whereas delegates from Iraq and Saudi Arabia proposed actions to forestall the unfold of polio throughout mass spiritual gatherings of their nations.

Member States and companions acknowledged the immense efforts directed at ending polio within the 2 nations the place it’s nonetheless endemic – Afghanistan and Pakistan – notably within the wake of the earthquake and catastrophic flooding that passed off in 2022, and the extraordinary political will and engagement in each nations. Additionally they famous the work ongoing in nations witnessing outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus kind 2 (cVDPV2), and lauded well being employees for his or her valour and dedication to their work.

Member States issued 2 statements following the assembly. One referred to as for the worldwide improvement and humanitarian communities and donors to scale up help to the Nationwide Emergency Motion Plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan. A second assertion referred to as for worldwide companions to offer important companies, together with a sturdy vaccination response, to polio outbreaks in Somalia and Yemen.  In Yemen’s northern governorates, amidst a surge of anti-vaccine propaganda, a long-overdue outbreak response has nonetheless not been launched, and Somalia is experiencing the longest ever cVDPV2 outbreak.

Member States additionally reiterated the significance of specializing in zero-dose youngsters, and strengthening routine immunization and surveillance in nations which might be polio-free and people who presently have polioviruses. Additionally they recommended Regional Director Dr Al-Mandhari for his management and requested him to proceed to help Member States within the Area to push in the direction of ending polio and attaining Well being for All by All.

Whereas updating individuals on a latest go to made by a high-level mission to Pakistan final yr, a consultant from the BMGF, on behalf of Dr Chris Elias, the Chair of the Polio Oversight Board, acknowledged the extraordinary and unmatched efforts made in Pakistan by the political and well being management, legislation enforcement and safety companies, to forestall any additional unfold of polio. Regardless of the flooding and political adjustments the nation has confronted, the polio programme continued to “shift gears” and mount a swift and sturdy response to polio. This was certainly one of a number of visits that high-level missions have been making to Pakistan in help of eradication efforts.

In closing remarks, WHO representatives acknowledged Iraq and Syria for the strides each nations have taken to keep up important polio features, together with in polio surveillance, whereas concurrently transitioning away from funding from the World Polio Eradication Initiative.

The seventh assembly of the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks demonstrated the excessive degree of confidence that Member States and companions have within the 2 remaining polio-endemic nations, Afghanistan and Pakistan. As polio stays a Public Well being Emergency of Worldwide Concern underneath the Worldwide Well being Laws (2005), the intensified regional- and international-level collaboration of Member States and companions at occasions like this can function a springboard for centered motion in 2023.

Be aware for editors

The Polio Oversight Board is the very best decision-making physique within the World Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). It brings collectively senior management of the 6 GPEI associate companies—the Invoice & Melinda Gates Basis (BMGF), U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), Gavi, Rotary Worldwide, UNICEF, and the World Well being Group (WHO)—together with a consultant of the GPEI’s donor group.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-Common of WHO, visited Pakistan in his function as Chair of the Polio Oversight Board on the time. Following this, since mid-2021, the Polio Oversight Board* made 3 visits, and Mr Invoice Gates of the BMGF visited in February 2022.