Ghana Officially Declares End to Type 2 Poliovirus Outbreak

According to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Ghana has officially closed its type 2 poliovirus outbreak following sustained response assessments, disease surveillance, and community immunisation drives.

The announcement coincides with global commemorations for World Polio Day 2026, held under the theme “One Day, One Focus: Ending Polio for Good.”

According to health authorities, the outbreak was officially declared closed in August 2026 after rigorous Outbreak Response Assessments (OBRA) verified that transmission had been successfully halted across the country. Ghana was among five African nations to close their type 2 poliovirus outbreaks in August, alongside Burundi, Guinea-Bissau, the Republic of the Congo, and Uganda.

The milestone was achieved through joint efforts involving the Ministry of Health, GHS, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, Gavi, Rotary International, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the Ministry of Health and GHS, Ghana has maintained national immunisation coverage above 95% following the introduction of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in 2018 and the addition of a second dose in 2024.

Health officials have called on parents and caregivers to maintain routine vaccinations, emphasizing that active surveillance and high immunisation rates remain necessary to protect children and prevent future outbreaks.

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