Attachments
Highlights
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In October 2023, the polio outbreak was declared as a Public Health Emergency (PHE) by the Minister of Health and Child Care).
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From October 2023 to date, Zimbabwe has detected twenty-one (21) circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) cases in environmental samples (ES) from four polio environmental surveillance sites in Harare.
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In January 2024, an index human polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) was reported in a 10-year-old girl with a case of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP).
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In the reporting period, no new polio virus type 2 (cVDP2 cases have been reported from environmental sites.
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During week 12, a total of 13 new acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases were reported with cumulative cases now at 80 with a Non polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis rate (NPAFP rate) at 1.6 children 0-14 years.
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In February 2024, round one of the polio campaigns was completed, with a cumulative coverage of approximately 4.6 million (108 per cent) of targeted children.
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From 19 to 23 March 2024, round two of the novel oral poliomyelitis (polio) vaccine type 2 (nOPV) campaign was successfully conducted in the country reaching about 4.8 million children.
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Lot Quality Assuring Sampling (LQAS) results show significant quality and coverage improvements with approximately 82 per cent districts (59 out of 72) passing compared with only 73 per cent in round 1.
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
Zimbabwe last reported a case of indigenous wild poliovirus (WPV) in 1986 and has been certified polio free since 2005. Following the detection of wild poliovirus 1 (WPV1) in Mozambique and Malawi, in 2022, Zimbabwe undertook in 2023, a multi-country supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) with bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV2) and conducted four rounds of SIA. Declaring a Public Health Emergency in October 2023, Zimbabwe has to date detected 21 circulating vaccine derived polio virus type two (cVDPV2) cases from environmental samples in Harare. The samples were from the four polio environmental surveillance sites in Harare.
Polio outbreak response activities commenced with plans to conduct two supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) using novel oral poliomyelitis (polio) vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). Round one of campaigns was completed in February 2024 and reached approximately 4.6 million (108 per cent) children. Similarly, round two campaign was completed on 22 March 2024, reaching approximately 4.8 million (115 per cent) children.
During the reporting period, no new environmental samples confirmed polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) from environmental sites were reported. A total of 13 new acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases were reported between 15 and 29 March 2024. Cumulative cases are at 80 with a non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) rate at 1.6 per cent children aged 0-14 years.
Zimbabwe like many other countries, remains at risk of polio outbreak either for wild polio or vaccine derived, until global eradication. It is important to maintain high immunity within the population and increase efforts for routine polio vaccination coverage and strengthened disease surveillance for early detection of cases are maintained as high priority. In response activities, special considerations are needed for special populations.
These include vaccine hesitant religious groups with high concentration in Manicaland (Buhera, Mutasa and Mutare districts), populations in refugee camps (Tongogara in Manicaland and Waterfalls transit camp in Harare), populations along borders, cross border traders, artisanal miners, and populations in emerging peri-urban settlements in Harare.