The Ministry of Health has revealed that it has detected Vaccine Derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) at Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
In a statement, the ministry said the virus was detected during routine surveillance by the Polio Laboratory at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research.
The sample, collected on August 20, 2024, was identified as cVDPV2 on September 5.
The ministry has since declared the situation a public health emergency.
To address the situation, the Health Ministry, in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has launched field investigations to trace the possible source of the infection and assess the risk of further geographic spread, including to humans.
It has also implemented enhanced surveillance measures to monitor the situation closely.
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Meanwhile, it has urged the public to observe “improved personal hygiene” while calling on parents to complete the vaccination schedule for their wards.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), vaccine-derived poliovirus is a well-documented strain of poliovirus mutated from the strain originally contained in Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).
OPV contains a live, weakened form of poliovirus that replicates in the intestine for a limited period, thereby developing immunity by building up antibodies.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that largely affects children under five years of age, causing permanent paralysis (approximately 1 in 200 infections) or death (2-10% of those paralysed).
Below is the full statement
