World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Malawi polio-free following surveillance assessments that show no evidence of ongoing wild poliovirus (WPV).
This was revealed on Wednesday when the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with WHO, commemorated World Immunisation Week and launched the new National Immunisation Strategy at Kawale Community Hospital in Lilongwe.
Speaking during the event, WHO country representative Neema Kimambo said when polio cases resurfaced in 2022, the global health body held six oral polio campaigns in various countries, including Malawi, where they supported the government in developing environmental surveillance sites to detect availability of the virus in communities.
She said the country also introduced a second dose of the polio vaccine which further helps to protect against polio this time.
Said Kimambo: “Active case surveillance was done. Following this, several assessments were also done and the committee said that Malawi has been able to control the outbreak of wild polio virus.
“This means going forward, we still need to have active surveillance and work with countries around to ensure we have cross border collaboration.”
She observed that Malawi is among countries with good immunisation coverage and are doing well. However, she said emergencies, including Covid-19 and other shocks, led to reduced coverage hence the intensified efforts to immunise, including the zero-dose children.
However, Kimambo said there is need to keep up with those on zero-dose children and improve on measles vaccinations.
In her remarks, Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda hailed the gains the ministry has made in the delivery of immunisation services in the country, saying the polio-free status is testament to the efforts being done.
She said the achievements are what the previous strategic plan covering 2017-2022 had registered, besides the introduction of over five types of vaccines and reduced vaccine equity gaps by expanding supply and cold chain coverage.
“Some achievements are the sustained performance of immunisation coverage above 80 percent despite shocks and other catastrophes and this is way above 76 percent in 2016,” said the minister.
Chiponda has since said the new strategy will focus on sustaining the gains already made and ensure that immunisation is a life course.
The strategy is also a resource mobilisation tool for both government and partners
This is the second time Malawi has obtained a polio-free status, after a similar declaration in 2005.
Since the identification of one case in 2022 at Tsabango in Lilongwe, the ministry administered four rounds of polio vaccinations to enhance immunity across the risk age group of under-15.
This case was the first after 30 years since the last reported polio case in 1992.
