Polio eradication strategy 2022-2026: delivering on a promise, extension to 2029

Overview

Based on today’s epidemiology and after critical analysis and expert consultations, the Strategy Committee and Polio Oversight Board (POB) of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) have decided to extend the timeline for certifying the eradication of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) to the end of 2027 and certifying the elimination of circulating type 2 variant poliovirus (cVDPV2) – also known as vaccine-derived poliovirus – to the end of 2029. This document complements the original Polio Eradication Strategy 2022–2026 by outlining the obstacles that have hindered progress towards these goals since the start of the strategic period (2022) and defining adjustments that will be made in the extension period (from now to the end of 2029) to overcome them. It summarizes key tactical shifts that will enable more effective implementation and accountability, the rationale for continued investment in the promise of a polio-free world and the plan to sustain eradication once it is achieved.