In late January 2022, Member States at the 150th Executive Board underlined their support for WHO’s work to transfer polio workforce and assets in polio-free settings to serve global health priorities.
Over fifty polio-free countries transitioned out of Global Polio Eradication Initiative support at the start of 2022, marking a significant shift towards using polio assets in an integrated manner to strengthen health systems. Polio capacities in these countries have been integrated into other WHO programmes where they will help to make progress on broader health priorities, especially essential immunization, disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response and primary health care.
Already, the polio workforce provides a backbone of support to the public health system in many countries. As we move closer to the goal of global polio eradication, Member States at the Executive Board stated their strong support for the direction of travel taken by WHO to ensure that functions in polio-free settings are integrated and sustained.
The transition of the polio workforce and assets is tailored to country and regional context, and takes a cautious, risk-based approach. In her remarks, the Regional Director for the African Region, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, noted that transitioned polio personnel in the African Region have “extensive knowledge and skills [that] will also continue to benefit other public health interventions.”
Several Member States articulated that sustainable financing of the WHO is vital to retain polio assets. Delegates also provided guidance to WHO’s work in this area, highlighting the need to have robust monitoring and evaluation, strong governance, and build on the contributions of the polio network to COVID-19 response and recovery to achieve greater integration between programmes.
The Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, noted, “This year is the time for intensifying our work to make polio transition impactful. We must capitalize on the impressive progress of the past year and make the most of the opportunities to build greater integration into our public health programmes.”
In her remarks, the WHO Deputy Director General, Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, underlined the important interlinkages between the polio eradication and polio transition agendas. The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is currently intensifying eradication efforts where the virus still remains, whilst transition moves ahead in polio-free settings. It is crucial that both progress hand-in-hand, to ensure that a polio-free world is achieved and sustained, and health systems are bolstered.
Dr Jakab ended the session by emphasising the importance of continued commitment and sustainable financing to maintain the transitioned polio functions. “To keep the polio assets where they are most needed, we also need Member States’ full political and financial commitment, including domestic funding.”