Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
Iraq became the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to transition polio assets to its national health systems, sustaining polio activities by domestic financing.
In the Region, Libya has transitioned successfully, while Syria has integrated its polio functions into the essential programme on immunization. Sudan and Yemen are expected to complete transition in 2025.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
Twelve of Yemen’s southern governorates conducted two house-to-house vaccination campaigns, vaccinating around 1.3 m children below five years with novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) during each round. Vitamin A was integrated during the second round.
In the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Djibouti, Egypt, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) have used nOPV2 to respond to poliovirus outbreaks.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
From doorsteps to laboratories to decision-making tables, women are playing central, diverse and multifaceted roles in safeguarding children from polio, often leaving no stone unturned to dedicate their capacity and skills to prioritize children’s health.
Investments in women’s capacities and skills translate into investments in strengthening health systems.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
In an effort geared to protect millions of children from polio, and offer them lifesaving essential health services, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia pledged
US$ 500m to polio eradication efforts. This support will contribute to strengthening health systems across the Region, which faces multiple conflicts and health emergencies on a regular basis. Investments in women’s capacities and skills translate into investments in strengthening health systems.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
For the first time in over six years, Afghanistan opened access to facilitate house-to-house polio vaccination across the country, following a high-level visit of the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hanan Balkhy, and UNICEF Regional Director of South Asia, Mr Sanjay Wijesekera, in May.
During the two months (July-August) when house-to-house vaccination was permitted in the country, the programme made significant gains in reducing the number of missed children.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
The Somalia Immunization and Polio Eradication Task Force and Child Survival Forum were launched by the Prime Minister of the country. These platforms will accelerate action to reduce child mortality and stop the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio and measles across Somalia, including by reaching zero-dose children.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
Demonstrating strong political will to end polio, the Government of Pakistan, led by the Prime Minister, introduced a strong and wide-ranging programme of action to interrupt transmission in 2025, which includes revitalizing programme oversight, management coordination and accountability, essential immunization strengthening and more integrated service delivery.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
Despite complex insecurity and conflict, multiagency teams in the occupied Palestinian territory supported the Ministry of Health to implement two rounds of an emergency polio vaccination campaign between September and November. Both rounds vaccinated 559 161 and 556 774 children respectively; and around 450 000 children between 2 and 10 years received vitamin A during the second round.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
The WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, and Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Hanan Balkhy, visited Sudan to shine a light on the ongoing crisis and call for communities’ access to health services, including polio vaccines. Better access to communities will result in ending Sudan’s variant poliovirus outbreak and increasing coordination with other critical public health efforts.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
In its third meeting for the year, the Regional Subcommittee for Polio Eradication and Outbreaks launched the ‘United to End Polio’ campaign to underscore the strong solidarity and robust action Member States are taking to end polio in the Region.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
A series of high-level visits by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to Afghanistan and Pakistan that included WHO and UNICEF Regional Directors and the Chair of the Polio Oversight Board – and to Somalia by the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean offered opportunities to strengthen partnerships with national polio programmes and renew political commitments to end polio in these key geographical locations.
Polio eradication: 2024 at a glance
In 2024, the Region expanded its environmental surveillance network to further enhance surveillance for poliovirus. Environmental surveillance across 16 of the Region’s countries ensures timely detection of and rapid response to any importation of polio.
