Current Affairs - International - Discussion

Five African nations, Burundi, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of Congo, and Uganda were confirmed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to have officially ended their poliovirus type 2 outbreaks on August 21, 2026. The declaration specifically concerned circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), which can emerge in populations with insufficient immunity. The assessment followed an Independent Outbreak Response Assessment conducted between January and June 2026. The WHO’s efforts focus on closing immunity gaps through high-quality vaccination campaigns, stronger routine immunisation, improved surveillance, and modernised laboratory networks across the African Region.