Rwanda: Who Declares Five African Countries Polio-Free
[New Times] Five African countries have stopped the spread of poliovirus type 2, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially declared five African countries to be polio-free. Following independent assessments conducted between January and June 2026, outbreaks in Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda have been closed. These countries used vaccination and surveillance as key strategies to contain the virus.
Dr. Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa, emphasized that the milestone is not the end of the journey, as continued vigilance, strong surveillance, and high immunization coverage are essential to protect children and prevent future outbreaks. While the closures do not rule out new detections or importations of poliovirus, the region has invested in its polio laboratory network to improve testing, making it easier to detect the virus sooner.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
