This PowerPoint presentation was part of a November 2006 meeting hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) African Regional Office (AFRO) in Zimbabwe. At this meeting, country-specific presentations were made by communication practitioners in 5 countries which have experienced ongoing cases of wild polio virus (WPV) from 2005 to 2006. The objectives of the meeting included the following:

1. To critically review country communication strategies and activities for polio eradication, routine immunisation and integrated expanded programme of immunisation (EPI)-polio action including progress in implementing the
   Yaounde 2005 TAG country recommendations.
2. To develop the technical recommendations for each country which, when implemented, would improve polio and routine communication performance.
3. To develop and propose communication indicators that can be effective in measuring the impact of communication strategies for improved polio eradication and expanded routine immunisation.

This presentation gives an overview of WPV transmission, Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) and laboratory surveillance in twelve African countries, immunisation challenges and issues for the communication Technical Advisory Group (TAG).



Major findings presented here include:

• Confirmed cases of WPV increased to 994 in October 2006 from 558 in October 2005. This includes the addition of 3 new infected countries in 2006 (Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Namibia and Kenya).
• Viruses detected in Namibia and DRC are related to the 2005 Angola outbreak, while WPV in Kenya is related to the 2006 Somalia cases.
• As of October 2006, 72% of World Health Organization (WHO) African Regional Office (AFRO) countries are meeting the annualised operational non-polio AFP rate of 2/100,000 (under 15 yr age group). Of the larger countries, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia have not yet reached this goal.

Challenges identified:

• How to achieve interruption WPV transmission within a short time.
• How to ensure that countries assume responsibility to follow through.
• Sustaining polio-free status in other countries.
• Filling the financial gap.