The WHO South-East Asia region celebrates 15 years since its last wild poliovirus case, a remarkable achievement that has propelled broader public health gains. This success story is a testament to the power of unwavering government leadership, a dedicated health workforce, and strong partnerships, including with communities. The region's journey from polio endemicity to sustained polio-free status is a powerful demonstration of what can be accomplished through ambitious public health goals and sustained efforts.
On this significant anniversary, we reflect on the region's remarkable progress. In 2011, an 18-month-old girl in Howrah, West Bengal, India, was paralyzed by wild poliovirus, but an extensive and intensive response ensured this remained the last case. Three years later, on March 27, 2014, the WHO South-East Asia Region was officially certified polio-free.
The region's vigilance against poliovirus importation remains steadfast. Through a network of 13 WHO-accredited polio laboratories, including national, regional, and global reference laboratories, more than 50,000 stool samples are collected and tested annually. Surveillance standards are consistently exceeded, ensuring the region's continued polio-free status.
Environmental surveillance is an additional layer of sensitivity, conducted at 93 sites among high-risk populations in five countries, to detect any potential poliovirus transmission.
The region's high population immunity is maintained through consistently strong immunization coverage. Coverage with the bivalent oral polio vaccine and at least one dose of inactivated polio vaccine has remained above 90% for many years, according to the WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC).
Even during humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters, and the COVID-19 pandemic, countries sustained high-quality surveillance and immunization services, safeguarding these hard-won gains.
The South-East Asia Regional Certification Commission for Poliomyelitis Eradication (SEA-RCCPE) provides independent oversight, meeting annually to review country progress, assess risks, and verify the region's continued polio-free status.
The polio program's impact extends far beyond a single disease. Innovations, systems, and operational lessons from polio eradication have been applied to strengthen routine immunization, advance measles and rubella elimination, enhance public health laboratory capacities, and emergency preparedness. These efforts have expanded routine immunization coverage, reached previously unreached communities, and closed immunity gaps.
Member countries have also made significant progress against other vaccine-preventable diseases. The region continues to sustain the elimination of maternal and neonatal tetanus, while the introduction and scale-up of vaccines against pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid, and human papillomavirus continue to reduce mortality and long-term disease burden.
As long as polio exists anywhere in the world, the risk of importation remains. Countries must sustain high immunization coverage, sensitive surveillance, and rapid response capacities for polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, the Officer-in-Charge emphasized.
The journey from polio endemicity to sustained polio-free status demonstrates that ambitious public health goals are achievable, Dr. Boehme stated. The WHO remains committed to supporting countries in protecting every child through strong routine immunization systems and advancing disease elimination across the region.
