Resurgence of Polio Threatens Millions of Children Amid Global Conflict, UNICEF Warns
By Auwal Umar, Gombe
The resurgence of polio is emerging as a severe threat to children in the world’s most vulnerable regions, with 85% of the 541 polio cases reported globally in 2023 originating from 31 fragile and conflict-affected countries, according to a recent UNICEF analysis.
This worrying increase in polio cases—more than doubling over the past five years—coincides with a decline in routine childhood immunisation rates. Immunisation coverage has dropped from 75% to 70%, well below the 95% needed to achieve community immunity.
This was contained in a Press statement made available to Newsmen by the Communication Officer UNICEF Bauchi Field office Mr. Opeyemi Olagunju on Thursday.
Marking World Polio Day, UNICEF sounded the alarm that polio continues to thrive in regions where children’s lives are already at risk, exacerbated by factors such as conflict, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises.
These conditions have disrupted the delivery of essential healthcare services, enabling the resurgence of this preventable disease.
“In conflict zones, children are not only facing violence but also the threat of preventable diseases like polio,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.
“The collapse of healthcare systems, destruction of water and sanitation facilities, and displacement of families have contributed to the resurgence of this crippling disease.
“It is heartbreaking to see children paralysed, unable to walk or attend school, because of a disease we know how to prevent.”
The report highlights a significant resurgence of polio in conflict-affected regions, with 15 out of 21 such countries—including Afghanistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Yemen, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—currently grappling with outbreaks.
Alarmingly, even countries that had previously eradicated polio are seeing new cases, underscoring the need for global vigilance and intervention.
To combat this resurgence, UNICEF and its partners have intensified emergency vaccination efforts in recent months.
In Gaza, for instance, nearly 600,000 children under the age of 10 received polio vaccinations in mid-September as part of a mass immunisation campaign, with a second round recently completed in the southern and central regions.
UNICEF has called for a global commitment to prioritise vaccination efforts, particularly in regions with low immunisation rates and ongoing conflicts.
Key actions being recommended include expanding vaccination coverage to all children, strengthening immunisation systems, protecting healthcare workers involved in vaccine delivery, and securing humanitarian pauses necessary for immunisation campaigns.
The organisation also stressed the importance of providing resources to initiatives like the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to help swiftly contain outbreaks.
“The resurgence of polio not only endangers children in affected countries but also poses a growing risk to neighbouring nations,” Russell added.
“The final push towards eradication is the most challenging, but we must act now to ensure every child is protected from polio. We owe it to the next generation to finally end this disease once and for all.”
UNICEF’s urgent appeal on World Polio Day aims to elevate polio eradication on global political agendas, encouraging innovative strategies to improve the quality and reach of vaccination campaigns.
The organisation warns that without a concerted global effort, the progress made in eradicating polio could unravel, putting millions of children at risk worldwide.
