Polio: The unfinished fight

•WHO supports Nigeria’s broader efforts to protect children against disease Nigeria is strengthening its disease surveillance system to close gaps that could delay the detection of poliovirus and other vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly among children living in underserved and hard-to-reach communities. The move follows an independent review of Nigeria’s surveillance system for polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases, which found that more than 95 per cent of the country’s surveillance network performed strongly across assessed indicators, while also identifying critical gaps requiring targeted action. Conducted from August 24 to September 9, 2026, the review covered 13 high-priority states, 39 local government areas and 111 health facilities across the six geopolitical zones. The assessment was led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Polio Emergency Operations Centre, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).