The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) convened last week in Geneva. On polio eradication, the group noted the progress achieved in the remaining endemic countries. Recognizing an ongoing global supply constraint of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), the group urged countries to adopt a fractional-dose approach (1/5th of a full dose), noting that several countries which had implemented this approach are able to meet their national vaccine requirements for its populations, and to prioritize supply to routine immunization rather than to outbreak response. SAGE also reviewed long-term immunization policy options for the post-certification world and put forward key recommendations for this period. A summary report from the meeting is available here.
The report from the 13th Meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on the international spread of poliovirus and available on www.polioeradication.org. The Committee concluded that the current epidemiological situation continued to remain a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, and recommended the extension of the Temporary Recommendations for a further three months.
New animations from the WHO highlight the global scope of the polio surveillance system, how they respond to a polio outbreak and efforts to reach every last child with vaccines.
Local villagers in Somalia are lending their eyes and ears in the struggle to keep Somalia polio-free. Read more.
Summary of newly-reported viruses this week: Pakistan – seven new wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) positive environmental samples. See ‘Pakistan’ section below, for further detail.
