KIGALI, Rwanda

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo launched the second phase of a mass polio vaccination campaign on Thursday, targeting over 10 million children.

In 2024, the DR Congo confirmed 25 cases of circulating variant poliovirus (types 1 and 2).

The World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement that despite response efforts, polio virus type 2 transmission continues in several provinces, posing a threat to vulnerable populations.

From June 26 to 28, newborns to children aged five years will be vaccinated in the provinces of Kinshasa, Tanganyika, Haut-Lomami, Kongo Central, and Haut-Katanga, as well as those up to 15 years old in Tshopo and Maniema.

“To interrupt transmission and protect children, there is an urgent need to boost population immunity through both routine immunization and mass vaccination campaigns,” the WHO said.

It said 13 million doses of the vaccine would be used, with 60,000 teams of vaccinators performing the inoculation.

According to Elisabeth Mukamba, the country's Polio Emergency Operations Committee coordinator, when pockets of the population are under-vaccinated, children suffer the most.

“It develops and can lead to paralysis. So, we have joint efforts. Vaccinating a child with good immunity also protects other children,” she said.

Mukamba expressed confidence that the country is on track to prevent the spread of the poliovirus but cautioned against complacency.

The authorities urged parents, community leaders, and other stakeholders to work together to improve vaccination coverage and, ultimately, eradicate polio throughout Congo.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) says that since its inception in 1988, polio cases have decreased by more than 99.9%.

However, as of early this year, wild poliovirus type 1 was being transmitted in two countries: Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Outbreaks of vaccine-derived poliovirus remain a significant challenge, particularly in parts of Africa and the Middle East.

According to the WHO, countries such as Nigeria, Angola, Ethiopia, Niger, South Sudan, Yemen, Chad, and Algeria reported more vaccine-derived poliovirus cases in 2024 and early 2025 than in previous years.

Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that primarily affects children under the age of five.

Infected people transmit the virus through their feces and saliva.