As the world strives to eradicate polio, Africa may soon reach a major breakthrough in efforts to rid the planet of one of the most devastating diseases of all time. Marking three years since the last case of polio was detected in Nigeria, the continent is expected to be certified free of wild polio by early next year, following an independent evaluation process.
The path to eradicating polio in Africa has been a monumental effort of multinational coordination involving strategic vaccination campaigns, improved surveillance and routine immunizations.
Once Africa is declared free of the disease, five of the WHO’s six regions will be free of wild polio. Only what the WHO calls the Eastern Mediterranean is still fighting the disease – with polio still endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
