POLIO [to 30 April 2016]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

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Polio this week as of 27 April 2016
:: This World Immunization Week, we are closer than ever to the target of a world free of polio, with just two remaining polio endemic countries- Afghanistan and Pakistan. Read more about what remains to be done to carry the world across the threshold here.

:: Around the world, countries that remain vulnerable to polio are continuing to vaccinate children and build immunity, as shown in Jordan through this series of photographs.

The Trivalent to Bivalent Oral Polio Vaccine Switch
:: Between 17 April and 1 May, the type 2 component of the oral polio vaccine (OPV) is being removed from use through a globally synchronized switch from the trivalent to bivalent oral polio vaccine. This is the first stage of objective 2 of the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018 to withdraw OPV in a phased manner starting with the type 2 component following the eradication of wild poliovirus type 2 in September 2015.

:: Follow a live update of which countries have undergone the switch here. Learn more about why the switch is such an important part of ensuring a polio-free world through this series of videos.

:: The following indicators are being carefully tracked to ensure the switch goes smoothly. As of 25 April:
…75 of 155 (48%) countries and territories have stopped using the trivalent oral polio vaccine.
…Independent monitoring to ensure the switch goes smoothly has begun in 63 countries.
…The National Validation Committee has received switch monitoring data from four countries: Tuvalu, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Burundi.
…The WHO Regional Office has received the National Validation Report from one country: Tuvalu.
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Selected Country Levels Updates [excerpted]
Afghanistan
:: One new case of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was reported in the past week in Shigal Wa Sheltan district of Kunar province with onset of paralysis on 26 February. The most recent case had onset of paralysis on 27 March in Shigal Wa Sheltan district of Kunar. The total number of WPV1 cases for 2016 is now four, compared to one reported by this date in 2015.
:: National Immunization Days will be held on 17 to 20 May.
Madagascar
:: The third Outbreak Response Assessment in Madagascar found that the surveillance system is not yet strong enough to conclude that polio transmission has been interrupted. Thirty-nine high-risk districts have been identified to receive focused attention.

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World Bank [to 30 April 2016]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
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Kandahar Province on the Verge of Eradicating Polio
Date: April 26, 2016
Highlights
:: Kandahar Province is on the verge of eradicating polio as a result of improved access to health services and extensive health awareness programs.
:: It is one of many significant outcomes of the System Enhancement for Health Action in Transition project, implemented by the Ministry of Public Health.
:: The project aims to expand the scope, quality, and coverage of health services provided to the population. It is supported by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for the poorest countries, and the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF), in partnership with multiple donors.