Independent assessment recommends closure of the 2021 variant poliovirus type 2 outbreak, while calling for sustained immunization and surveillance.
Guinea-Bissau has reached an important milestone in its continued commitment to a future free from polio. After being certified free of wild poliovirus in 2019 by the Africa Regional Commission for the Certification of poliomyelitis eradication (ARCC), the country has now received a recommendation for the formal closure of the variant poliovirus type 2 outbreak detected in 2021.
The recommendation follows an independent assessment conducted by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative Outbreak Response Assessment team. After reviewing the country’s response, including population immunity, supplementary vaccination campaigns and surveillance, the team concluded that there is no evidence of continued transmission of the virus.
This is a significant public health achievement for Guinea-Bissau and an important step in protecting children from a preventable disease. It also reflects the commitment of health workers, communities, parents, caregivers, national health authorities and partners who contributed to the response.
Understanding the 2021 outbreak
On 14 October 2021, Guinea-Bissau was informed by the Institut Pasteur de Dakar, through WHO, of the isolation of variant poliovirus type 2 in four samples. These included three children affected by Acute Flaccid Paralysis and one contact of an AFP case. The cases were identified in the Autonomous Sector of Bissau and in Biombo region.
The Ministry of Public Health declared the outbreak a public health emergency event on 21 March 2022. In response, Guinea-Bissau organized two rounds of supplementary immunization activities from 27 to 30 April 2022 and from 22 to 25 June 2022, with technical and financial support from partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
More than 600,000 children aged 0 to 59 months were vaccinated using the novel oral polio vaccine type 2. The response also included activities to strengthen population immunity, reinforce Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance, and expand environmental surveillance.
A collective response to protect every child
The response was carried out under the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health and with the engagement of a wide range of stakeholders, including health professionals, political, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, media, communities, parents and caregivers.
Reaching children across the country required not only vaccines, but also trust, communication and community engagement. These efforts were essential to ensure that families had access to reliable information and that children, including those in hard-to-reach and border areas, were not left behind.
Sustaining a polio-free future is also an equity commitment. Every child has the right to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, regardless of where they live, their family’s income, disability status, ethnicity, gender or access to health services.
Sustaining the gains
Although the recommended closure of the outbreak is a major achievement, continued vigilance remains essential. The Outbreak Response Assessment team will provide detailed technical recommendations to support Guinea-Bissau in sustaining population immunity, closing surveillance gaps and reducing the risk of future importations, including through strong cross-border initiatives.
WHO recognizes the leadership of the Ministry of Public Health, the dedication of health professionals, the trust of communities and the continued support of partners in achieving this important milestone. WHO reaffirms its commitment to supporting Guinea-Bissau in maintaining strong immunization systems, sensitive surveillance and a future free from polio.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Guinea-Bissau.
