Thread by @WHO

"Today is a day of celebration, and a day of hope.
Today we come together to rejoice over an historic public health success - the certification of wild poliovirus eradication in the African Region."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"On behalf of the Polio Oversight Board, our partners at @Rotary, @CDCgov, @UNICEF, @gatesfoundation and @Gavi, and all donors and partners, I congratulate the people and governments of Africa for your leadership and determination."-@DrTedros

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

https://twitter.com/who/status/1298285269691531267

"None of us could have done this alone. This landmark achievement has only been possible because of the power of partnership."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"Since 1996, almost 9 billion polio vaccines have been delivered in Africa, up to 1.8 million cases of wild polio have been averted, and up to 180,000 lives have been saved."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #VaccinesWork #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"The substantial investments we have all made in defeating polio have delivered a rich reward.
Although wild #polio has been driven out of Africa, those investments will continue to bear fruit for many other health needs."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"The Global #Polio Eradication Initiative has helped to deliver vitamin A, bed nets and deworming tablets, and support for outbreaks including Ebola."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"The #COVID19 pandemic is once again demonstrating that polio staff are an essential public health workforce that can be quickly mobilized to serve the most vulnerable communities."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

"Local health workers are the backbone of the response, but we’re pleased that polio workers from WHO, @UNICEF, the Polio STOP program and @CDCgov have been able to support the response to #COVID19 in 36 African countries."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"These personnel are conducting surveillance, contact tracing, risk communication, data management and reporting, as well as preparedness and coordination."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1298292095338401798?s=20

"The #polio laboratory network, with 16 laboratories in 15 countries, is now dedicating 50% of its capacity to testing for #COVID19.
Hundreds of tests are done each day using polio testing machines in 🇩🇿🇨🇲🇨🇮 🇪🇹🇲🇬🇳🇬🇸🇳🇿🇦"-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

"The #polio programme continues to lead in engaging trusted voices on #COVID19, reaching and sensitizing health professionals and community influencers on the prevention and detection of COVID-19, while providing them with protective equipment and screening tools"-@DrTedros

"The end of wild #polio in Africa is a great day. But as we all know, it’s not the end of polio.
Sixteen countries still face outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus, and we have a hard road ahead to eradicate wild poliovirus from Afghanistan and Pakistan."-@DrTedros #EndPolio

"As long as #polio persists anywhere, it’s a threat everywhere.
We still have a lot of work to do to finish the job of consigning polio to the history books."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"We must continue to
-mobilize funds
-strengthen health systems, especially for essential immunizations
-train health workers
-boost outreach services
-listen to community concerns to counter misinformation"-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

"Yes, all of this costs money.
But in the end, money spent eradicating #polio is not a cost, it’s an investment.
An investment in a healthier and more productive future, in which polio no longer robs children and prevents them from becoming everything they could be."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/who/status/1298296334198411266

"A future without polio may have once seemed impossible.
But in the words of Nelson Mandela, when people are determined, they can overcome anything."-@DrTedros #AFRORC70

#EndPolio #AfricaKicksOutWildPolio

Great news 👏: after 4 years without a case @WHOAFRO 🌍 has been certified as wild #polio-free!

With this historic milestone, 5 of the 6 WHO regions – representing >90% of the 🌐’s population – are now free of the wild poliovirus

bit.ly/34wdLiR

Congratulations 👏 to the 47 countries of @WHOAFRO for today’s tremendous public health achievement of having been certified as wild #polio-free!

👉 bit.ly/34wdLiR

Countries successfully coordinated efforts to overcome major challenges to immunizing children against #polio, incl. high levels of population movement, conflict & insecurity, & the virus’s ability to spread quickly & travel across borders.

bit.ly/34wdLiR

This remarkable success against wild #polio in Africa has shown the world that progress against some of the biggest global health challenges is possible.

👉 bit.ly/34wdLiR

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 1918, the first polio epidemic is recognized in South Africa 🇿🇦 after the First World War.

More in the timeline 👉 bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio By the 1950s, an estimated 600,000 people are paralysed each year around 🌎🌍🌏. Multiple polio outbreaks hit several countries in Africa and Algeria during 1952-56.

More in the timeline 👉 bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 1956, Dr Albert Sabin develops the oral polio vaccine (OPV), leading to a steep drop in polio incidence.

Later in 1962, OPV becomes the ‘vaccine of choice’ for most of the world.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio By the mid-1970s, only a few African countries have immunization activities. Even though routine immunization 💉 is introduced globally, many people are still not reached with the polio vaccine.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 1988, the ‘Global Polio Eradication Initiative’ (GPEI) is launched – one of the largest public health initiatives in world history.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio One year later, the WHO Regional Committee for Africa adopts the 1988 World Health Assembly resolution and endorses the goal to eradicate polio from the continent🌍.

More in the timeline👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio During the 1990s, the GPEI makes huge investments in

✅Training,
✅Immunization infrastructure and equipment,
✅Disease surveillance,
✅Data management,
✅High-level coordination

across Africa 🌍.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 1999, The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan negotiates the first ceasefire agreement between warring parties in DRC 🇨🇩 to allow 🔟 million children under five years to be immunized against polio.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio During 2000-2010, the number of annual wild poliovirus cases has dropped 📉 to under 1,000 worldwide, thanks to mass polio vaccination campaigns.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio During 2010-2020, Africa takes its final steps toward certification despite a decline in population immunity levels which puts communities at risk of polio outbreaks.

More in the timeline👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 2015, wild poliovirus type 2 is declared to have been eradicated globally after the last case in India in 1999.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 2019, wild poliovirus type 3 is certified to have been eradicated globally.

More in the timeline 👉bit.ly/3hsIrFp

#AfricaKicksOutWildPolio In 2020, after 4 years without a case, @WHOAFRO has been certified as wild polio-free!

With this historic milestone, 5 of the 6 WHO regions – representing over 90% of the 🌍🌏🌎’s population – are now free of the wild poliovirus!