Pauline OdhiamboWhen health workers in Burundi first detected a circulating poliovirus type 2 outbreak in March 2023, the news sent shockwaves through a region that had already been certified free of wild polio just three years earlier.
The virus, which can cause irreversible paralysis and primarily affects children under five, threatened to undo decades of hard-won progress.
Three years later, Burundi — along with Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Congo, and Uganda — has successfully stopped the spread of the virus, marking a significant milestone in Africa's journey toward polio eradication.
Following rigorous technical assessments conducted between January and June 2026, teams from the Independent Outbreak Response Assessment (OBRA) reviewed disease surveillance, laboratory, and epidemiological data before concluding that transmission had been interrupted in all five countries. The WHO Regional Office for Africa subsequently confirmed the closure of these poliovirus type 2 outbreaks.
Different contexts, shared strategies
There is no cure for polio but it can be prevented through safe and effective vaccination.
In Burundi, health authorities intensified routine vaccination and surveillance efforts with support from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Targeted vaccination campaigns, strengthened epidemiological investigations, and expanded environmental surveillance helped interrupt transmission and protect children from polio.
"This is a positive development not only for the fight against polio but also for the overall effort to save lives through stronger health and immunization systems," says Thabani Maphosa, Gavi's Chief Country Delivery Officer.
"The investments countries have made in reaching missed children, community engagement, strengthened surveillance, mapping, and outbreak response will have impact far beyond these polio outbreaks."
While each country faced unique challenges, common threads emerged in their responses.
In the Republic of Congo, authorities strengthened surveillance and implemented multiple high-quality vaccination campaigns following virus detections. The country's last detection was reported in December 2023, with subsequent efforts focused on maintaining disease surveillance sensitivity and closing immunity gaps in high-risk areas.
Uganda intensified disease surveillance and outbreak response activities after detecting poliovirus in May 2024, while maintaining strong coordination across national and subnational levels. Ghana complemented high-quality disease surveillance and rapid outbreak response with laboratory investments, upgrading its lab capacity earlier this year alongside Uganda to strengthen the ability to detect and respond rapidly to poliovirus and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
Guinea-Bissau focused on reaching underserved populations through targeted vaccination campaigns and enhanced disease surveillance. The sustained effort has paid off — the country has reported no poliovirus detections since July 2021.
"Every outbreak closed means more children protected from a disease that can cause lifelong paralysis," Mike McGovern, Chair of the GPEI Polio Oversight Board and Rotary International's International PolioPlus Committee, states. "Working with governments and health workers across Africa boosts the effort to end polio once and for all."
Caution against complacency
Despite these achievements, health experts caution against complacency. The risk of poliovirus reimportation remains real — as demonstrated by the recent detection in Madagascar following its previous outbreak closure.
Across Africa, more than 180 polio detections have been reported in 2026 alone, with the highest numbers concentrated in the Lake Chad Basin and the Horn of Africa, currently the region's critical transmission zones.
Globally, Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only countries with endemic wild poliovirus transmission.
African health ministers recently adopted a 10-year framework to sustain polio eradication efforts by strengthening national health systems. The Framework for Polio Transition and Sustainability in the WHO African Region 2026–2035 emphasizes maintaining high-quality surveillance, preserving laboratory capacity, strengthening routine immunization, and ensuring sustainable domestic financing.
"Sustaining Africa's polio gains requires strong country ownership, sustainable financing and the integration of polio assets into broader health systems," says Dr. Mohamed Gedi, Polio Eradication Programme Coordinator at the WHO Regional Office for Africa. "By maintaining high population immunity, robust surveillance and strong outbreak preparedness, we can protect our polio-free status and strengthen health security across the Region."
Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, echoed that sentiment: "While this is an important milestone, it is not the end of the journey. Continued vigilance, strong surveillance and high immunization coverage remain essential to protect children and prevent future outbreaks."
