This year will mark the largest vaccine introduction in history as 120 countries add the inactivated polio vaccine to their routine immunization programmes. It is part of ongoing preparatory activities for the phased removal of oral polio vaccines in early 2016, a critical element of the plan to achieve a polio-free world. With effective international support, introduction of the inactivated vaccine will contribute to broader efforts of the polio programme to strengthen routine immunization systems. This will help to ensure that more children around the world receive life-saving vaccines. This month, Nigeria became the first of the remaining polio-endemic countries to introduce IPV into the routine immunization system.
This month, progress towards polio eradication and remaining challenges were reviewed in several polio reservoirs: theHorn of Africa, the Middle East,Nigeria and Pakistan.
Read the monthly message from new Polio Oversight Board chair Dr Tom Frieden.
FUNDING UPDATES
Australia has contributed the final tranche of their A$ 50 million commitment, made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in 2011, giving A$ 20 million in funding for the entire programme.
The Korea Foundation for International Healthcare has contributed US$ 1 million to Nigeria as part of a project to sustain a strong Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance system.
Countries Introducing the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) into Routine Immunization systems this month
Nigeria introduced IPV in two states in February (Bauchi and Jigawa). Other polio endemic states will introduce IPV as soon as possible, and the remaining 23 will do so by mid-March.
80 countries have introduced IPV to date (41% of the global total).
