Overview
- WHO and GPEI officials report wild poliovirus persists only in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a localized resurgence tied to insecurity and inaccessibility.
- The eradication effort faces a 30% GPEI budget cut in 2026 and a reported $1.7 billion shortfall through 2029, with Rotary and the Gates Foundation targeting $450 million and a UAE-hosted pledging event on December 8.
- Rapid responses have contained recent flare‑ups, including Gaza where a large‑scale campaign achieved wide coverage and no further paralytic cases after a 2024 detection.
- PAHO notes 31 years without wild polio in the Americas but warns that 2024 third‑dose coverage was just 83%, heightening the risk of vaccine‑derived outbreaks in under‑immunized areas.
- Pakistan officials urge vigilance as Sindh warns of up to 20,000 cases within three years if efforts falter and Punjab prepares an fIPV campaign for November 3–12, while 188 cases were recorded globally in the first nine months of 2025.