Africa is finally free of the wild polio virus after years of efforts by health authorities. This is a crucial step in the campaign against the viral illness globally.
The historic announcement during a WHO event came 4 years after the last case on the continent was reported in Nigeria.
The commission for polio eradication confirmed that the 47 countries in the WHO region of Africa are free of the illness which goes after the nervous system and can trigger paralysis within hours.
For WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus, it’s one of the greatest achievements in the history of public health.
It Has Not Been Easy, but We Made It
Delivering the vaccine to every child in Africa and removing the wild virus wasn’t easy and it required major human resources and skills.
But, the experiences that were gained in the process left a legacy for dealing with illnesses and getting to the poorest and marginalised communities.
For WHO Africa’s director, Matshidiso Moeti, these efforts for protecting children in Africa should continue against all other polios and childhood illnesses.
She also pointed out that we need to take the lessons and practices to also better the healthcare for all Africans.
Wait, Africa Is Not Entirely Free of Polio?!
Despite this major success, Africa isn’t completely free of polio-there are cases of the so-called vaccine-derived polio.
This rare mutation form is weaker, but the live virus is still there in the polio vaccine.
And, it can trigger outbreaks-currently, 16 countries in Africa are having one.
Seth Berkley, the CEO of Gavi, said that this celebratory moment has to be tempered by the increasing outbreaks and the broader influence associated with the coronavirus.
Until wild polio is eradicated in the whole world, it still remains a risk.
Despite the threats, this is a major hope for Africa who is also dealing with an outbreak of Ebola in the Congo, and cases of coronavirus, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.
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