The World Health Organisation (WHO) has officially declared the end of Indonesia’s poliovirus type-2 outbreak, marking a significant milestone in the country’s public health efforts following years of low vaccination coverage. The announcement came on November 19 after no poliovirus was detected in children or the environment since June 2024.
According to the Ministry of Health, nearly 60 million additional doses of the polio vaccine were administered nationwide as part of the emergency response, WHO reported.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin credited the achievement to the dedication of healthcare workers, the cooperation of parents, and support from global partners. “We have managed to stop the spread of polio in Indonesia thanks to the dedication of our health workers, commitment of parents and communities to get children vaccinated, and the support of our partners. Every child deserves protection. We must keep working to ensure polio does not return by making sure all children receive complete age-appropriate polio immunisations,” he said. He also warned that the threat of polio remains in areas with low immunisation coverage.
WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, said Indonesia’s success strengthens the region’s polio-free status. “Indonesia’s success marks a vital step towards a polio-free world. It also reinforces the entire WHO Western Pacific Region’s ability to retain its polio-free status, an achievement we proudly reached 25 years ago,” he said, urging all countries to stay vigilant.
The outbreak began in October 2022 with the first case detected in Aceh. Subsequent cases were reported in Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, North Maluku, Central Papua, Highland Papua, and South Papua, with the last case reported on June 27, 2024.
The Indonesian government launched multiple rounds of vaccination campaigns using the novel OPV-2 (nOPV2) vaccine and strengthened routine immunisation coverage. Children receiving their second dose of the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) rose from 63 per cent in 2023 to 73 per cent in 2024. To further improve protection, Indonesia introduced a hexavalent vaccine combining DPT-HB-Hib and IPV, offering immunity against six diseases in a single shot. The programme began in October 2025 in Yogyakarta, West Nusa Tenggara, Bali, and six Greater Papua provinces, with nationwide expansion planned next year.
Independent assessments under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 2023, 2024, and 2025 concluded that Indonesia had implemented a high-quality response and successfully closed transmission, meeting all criteria for outbreak closure.
UNICEF Indonesia Representative Maniza Zaman said the achievement demonstrated the power of collective effort. “This shows what is possible when communities, health workers, and partners unite. We must keep up the momentum so every child receives the immunisation they need to grow up healthy and free from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.”
The Ministry of Health said it will continue strengthening surveillance, routine immunisation, and community engagement to prevent the disease’s return. The milestone was achieved through collaboration between the Indonesian government, WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, CHAI, Rotary International, and thousands of frontline health workers across the country.
— ANI