In the second quarter of 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) reaffirmed that poliovirus continues to pose a global public health emergency.
However, significant progress has been made in the fight against polio within the African Region.
On August 15, 2025, WHO Africa reported that various cross-border initiatives, including vaccination campaigns, are paving the way for a future free of polio for millions of children across the continent.
Across the Lake Chad Basin and Sahel, countries are synchronizing immunization campaigns to tackle polio in one of Africa’s most challenging regions. About 161 million children were vaccinated from April to June.
Similarly, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia vaccinated over 18 million children in a synchronized effort in April 2025.
Just off Africa’s east coast, Madagascar also marked a significant milestone this quarter with the official declaration of the closure of the circulating variant type 1 polio outbreak in May. Following a comprehensive Outbreak Response Assessment, the country successfully halted transmission of the virus, demonstrating the effectiveness of robust response strategies that included extensive vaccination rounds and enhanced surveillance.
In Benin, a recent nationwide vaccination campaign successfully reached nearly 2.5 million children. The campaign even extended to remote areas, showcasing Benin’s resilience and determination in its response to the threat of polio.
Meanwhile, Malawi is strengthening its healthcare infrastructure with investments in cold chain improvements, workforce training, and community engagement—ensuring that its health systems are ready to prevent future outbreaks, added the WHO.
For an overall perspective, the WHO published a scorecard with key indicators concerning outbreak response, surveillance, and polio transition activities in the African Region.
As of August 16, 2025, the WHO and the U.S. CDC recommend that people complete the primary polio vaccination series and, for some adults, consider a booster dose before visiting poliovirus outbreak areas.
Based on recent news, novel polio vaccines may soon become available that reduce poliovirus shedding and polio cases.
When departing abroad from the United States, various travel vaccine clinics and pharmacies offer polio vaccination services.