India, Sept. 11 -- Africa recorded 183 polio detections between January and July 2026, a 33% decline compared with 2024, according to WHO.

Thirty-one of the WHO African Region's 47 countries reported fewer detections, while five outbreaks were closed after intensified vaccination and surveillance.

Between January and July 2026, 142 million children received at least one dose of polio vaccine across 17 African countries.

Africa was certified free of wild poliovirus in 2020, but vaccine-derived poliovirus continues to pose a risk, making sustained vaccination and surveillance essential.

Africa is making progress towards a polio-free future, with new data from the World Health Organization's (WHO) African Region showing a 33 per cent dec...