Mozambique set to end polio transmission by end of 2023

The Ministry of Health of Mozambique is determined to end the transmission of polio through four rounds of vaccination this year, said a senior official Wednesday.

Leonildo Nhampossa, national director of the Expanded Vaccination Program at the Ministry of Health, said in the capital of Maputo that the government will conduct an evaluation with the conclusion of the vaccination campaign against the disease by the end of this year to confirm whether the sources of polio transmission are effectively cut off.’

The country provided more than 25 million doses of the oral vaccine to inoculate its population of 21.7 million children and adolescents aged up to 15 years old. These immunization efforts were typically conducted in health facilities, schools, daycare centers, places of worship, markets, and other crowded locations.

A total of 33 confirmed cases were reportedly detected last year. Since last August, there has been no confirmation of wild poliovirus cases in Mozambique, Nhampossa said. “Our efforts are yielding the expected outcomes. However, by the end of this year, we will convene an independent evaluation team to assess and endorse our progress, ultimately determining the course of action for the foreseeable future.”

In February, the Ministry of Health announced plans to conduct four rounds of polio immunization throughout the year in an effort to eradicate the disease.