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In November 2020, the novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) became the first vaccine to be authorized under the WHO Emergency Use Listing. The vaccine has since been rolled out for limited initial use in countries to tackle vaccine-derived poliovirus. Dr Richelot Ayangma, Medical Officer and nOPV2 Focal Point at the WHO Regional Office for Africa explains the vital role of the vaccine in ending all forms of polio and what countries must do to ensure effective vaccination campaigns.

On 22 October 2021, Ethiopia launched a polio vaccination campaign with type 2 novel oral polio vaccine (nOPV2) targeting over 17 million under-five children aiming to end the circulation of vaccine-derived poliovirus. The campaign was officially launched by the Ministry of Health and polio partners in Hawassa, Sidama, alongside the commemoration of World Polio Day with the theme, “One Day. One Focus: Ending Polio: Delivering on the promise of a polio-free world”. 

Today, as the world commemorates World Polio Day with the theme, “One Day. One Focus: Ending Polio – delivering on our promise of a polio-free world!”, and Ethiopia launches a nationwide polio vaccination (nOPV2) campaign, we – the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and ROTARY – reaffirm our commitment to continue delivering on our promise of a polio-free world for current and future generations.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, through the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), is making available new analytical tools in the NTD Data Portal allowing Neglected Tropical Diseases programmes and stakeholders to better track rollout and impact of interventions, and make data-driven decisions on strategies.  

More than 80 million children have been vaccinated with the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) in six countries in Africa, the world’s first region to rollout of the vaccine just months after the World Health Organization (WHO) gave it Emergency Use Listing status in November 2020.