In August 2019, The World Health Orgnisation’s (WHO) African Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) conducted its verification visit and acceded to declare South Africa free of polio. In a letter, WHO verified this news stating, “The ARCC decision was made based on the political commitment the members observed during their advocacy and verification visits to South Africa and the improvements in polio surveillance and routine immunisation”.
South Africa had previously been polio-free until that decision was rescinded in 2017 following a bought of shortages in the routine immunisation coverage and surveillance systems. The surveillance systems have since been reinforced.
The Department of Health seeks to focus its attention on maintaining and improving immunisation and surveillance performance going forward. In order to do this, the department said “More than one million households will be visited, and all household members are urged to assist by answering questions regarding the immunisations which their children have received”.
To read more about child immunisation in South Africa, visit the government website at: https://www.gov.za/services/child-care/child-immunisation
