Attachments
Highlights
- Zimbabwe detected seventeen (17) circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) from environmental samples in Harare since October 2023. The samples were from four polio environmental surveillance sites in Harare.
- Polio outbreak was declared a public health emergency (PHE) by the Minister of Health and Child Care in October 2023.
- An index human cVDPV2 was reported in a 10-year-old female AFP case in January 2024.
- Two newly confirmed AFP cases (samples from contacts) have been reported this week (cumulative 23) with a NPAFP rate at 1.3 per cent children over 15 years.
- A total of 10,517,500 doses of nOPV2 were received on 29 January 2024 for the planned two supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). Expiry date 14/08/2025.
- A joint press release on Round 1 national nOPV2 polio SIA done by the Honorable Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with UNICEF, WHO and Partners on 16 Feb 2024.
Situation Overview & Humanitarian Needs
Zimbabwe last reported a case of indigenous wild polio virus (WPV) in 1986 and had been certified polio free in 2005. Following the detection of WPV1 in Mozambique and Malawi, in 2022, Zimbabwe also undertook the multi-country supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) with bOPV2 and managed to conduct four rounds of SIA.
In 2023, Zimbabwe detected seventeen circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) from environmental samples in Harare since October 2023. The samples were from the 4 polio environmental surveillance sites in Harare. Two newly confirmed AFP cases (samples from contacts) have been reported this week (cumulative 23) with a NPAFP rate at 1.3 per cent children >15 years.
The cVDPV2 outbreak was declared a public health emergency by the Minister of Health and Childcare (MOHCC) in October 2023. Polio outbreak response activities commenced with plans to conduct two supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) using novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) starting 20 February 2024.
The risk of poliovirus spreading within the country and neighboring countries remains high. Special considerations need to be made in the polio outbreak response for special populations who include vaccine hesitant religious groups who are densely populated 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.