Afar Area, Ethiopia, 05 November 2022 – At this time we commemorate the 2022 World Polio Day (WPD) to focus on progress made by the Ethiopian Ministry of Well being and companions in direction of polio eradication, and we – the World Well being Group (WHO), UNICEF and ROTARY – reaffirm our dedication to proceed delivering on our promise till polio is eradicated in Ethiopia. 

World Polio Day commemorations for this 12 months kicked off globally on twenty fourth October 2022 with the theme “World Polio Day 2022 and Past: A more healthy future for moms and Youngsters”.

International companions and well being staff have labored tirelessly for a few years to carry polio instances down by 100 per cent worldwide. Africa has additionally made great progress in direction of the eradication of the wild poliovirus (WPV), and in 2020, the WHO Africa Area was licensed as wild polio-free, due to international locations’ sustained dedication and coordination of companions. 

Nonetheless, the job just isn’t but performed, and a non-wild polio variant continues to flow into in under-immunized communities till wild polio nonetheless threatens a number of international locations in Africa and past.

We’ve a number of means to cease all types of polio in Africa. In 2021, Ethiopia has launched a brand new polio vaccine (nOPV2), which is now in use all through the nation.

Nations should decide to vaccinating each little one and strengthening illness surveillance to finish any type of polio, wherever on this planet, as it’s a menace to kids in all places. 

Final month, donors pledged about US$ 2.6 billion on the World Well being Summit that can assist the International Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) to proceed its crucial position in combating poliomyelitis to strengthen well being programs all over the world to finish polio. 

As we commemorate World Polio Day, we reaffirm our unwavering dedication to proceed working with the Authorities of Ethiopia, to make sure that each little one, in all places, is vaccinated to cease the circulation of vaccine-derived poliovirus in Ethiopia. 

The exceptional progress in Ethiopia wouldn’t have been attainable with out the management of the Ethiopian Ministry of Well being, the dedication of frontline staff, and the beneficiant help of polio companions such because the Invoice and Melinda Gates Basis, ROTARY, the US Centres for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC), USAID, WHO, UNICEF, Consortium of Christian Aid and Improvement Associations (CCRDA/CORE Group) and different International Polio Eradication Initiative companions. 

As we collectively commemorate World Polio Day, we name up on the Authorities of Ethiopia and our immunization companions to affix us in celebrating the progress now we have collectively made to this point, together with reaching and sustaining wild poliovirus-free standing. We additionally reaffirm our joint dedication to finish the circulation of all types of polio in Ethiopia.

Allow us to attain the susceptible and marginalized populations with secure and lifesaving vaccines.

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