South Sudan mounts a nationwide polio vaccination campaign: a massive push towards stopping the ongoing outbreak

A nationwide campaign aimed at vaccinating 3.3 million children from 0 to 59 months of age against polio launched in South Sudan using the novel Oral Polio Vaccine type 2. 

The campaign led by the Ministry of Health, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and other partners, is in response to the confirmation of 12 cases of Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV2) across eight counties in Western Equatoria, Central Equatoria, Upper Nile, and Jonglei States. 

In South Sudan, immunization coverage has been impacted by population movements and displacement related to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, making it harder to reach the children who need vaccinations the most. 

The cVDPV2 cases can occur when the weakened live virus in the oral polio vaccine spreads among people who are not fully immunized. This form of the virus can cause paralysis. Multiple doses of the vaccine will protect against both wild and the circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Viruses.

“The resurgence of vaccine-derived poliomyelitis was a shock and a huge setback to our milestone achievement and joy brought about following the declaration of the country wild polio-free in 2020,” said Honourable Yolanda Awel Deng, Minister of Health. “As a country, we are leaving no stone unturned in our resolution to stop the transmission of poliomyelitis. Today, we are mounting this campaign with the aim of ensuring that every child everywhere in South Sudan is not only reached with these vaccines but protected against the disease.”  

“The World Health Organization expresses profound gratitude to the government and people of South Sudan, the generous support from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partnership, as well as health partners for their unwavering support and dedication to protecting children from polio,” said Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative for South Sudan. “This vaccination campaign is an important step in our mission to ensure polio, a disease that can be completely prevented, doesn’t threaten any child’s life. This effort shows our strong commitment to ensuring that no child is at risk of polio.”

“Every child has the right to grow up free from preventable diseases, and polio is one of the most dangerous yet entirely avoidable illnesses. UNICEF reiterates its commitment to support the Ministry of Health and partners in delivering vaccines to every part of South Sudan so that no child is left vulnerable to polio,” said Hamida Lasseko, UNICEF Representative in South Sudan. 

In December 2023, South Sudan confirmed an outbreak of circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 (cVDPV2) and declared it a ‘Public Health Emergency’. To combat the resurgence of poliomyelitis in the country, two nationwide polio vaccination rounds were successfully conducted in February and April 2024, vaccinating 3.3 million children aged 0 to 59 months during each of the two rounds.

About the circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type 2 (cVDPV2)

Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus Type 2 cases can occur when the weakened live virus in the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) regains strength and spreads among people who are not fully immunized. This form of the virus can cause paralysis. To prevent this, all children must get the oral polio vaccine during the campaign, and during the non-campaign time, it is routinely given with other vaccines in the health facility. Getting multiple doses of the vaccine will protect against both wild and circulating variant polioviruses.

Currently, paralytic polio infections are being reported in multiple African countries, including Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Zambia and South Sudan.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – South Sudan.