Namibia halts polio vaccinations after reaching 90% target

Patience Makwele

The Ministry of Health has announced that Namibia has successfully interrupted the transmission of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), following an aggressive nationwide vaccination campaign that reached more than 90% of targeted children and received more than N$76.5 million in financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Health authorities revealed on Monday that no circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus has been detected since 4 March 2026, marking a major milestone in the country’s fight against the disease after the virus was first detected in environmental surveillance samples collected in Rundu in November last year.

Speaking at the opening of the Polio Outbreak Response Vaccination Campaign Evaluation Meeting in Windhoek, WHO Country Representative Dr Richard Banda described Namibia’s response as a public health success achieved through rapid action and strong collaboration.

“I still recall Friday the 13th of November 2025 when Namibia received confirmation of poliovirus type 2 from environmental surveillance sampling in Rundu. Since then, so much has happened. You responded with urgency,” Banda said.