Raising consternation among its citizens, the World Health Organization and other international health agencies have declared a polio outbreak in a country with a vulnerable population.
See the tweet below.
With less than 50% of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) population vaccinated, the outbreak raises questions about global health priorities.
The WHO confirmed community poliovirus transmission in Papua New Guinea after detecting the virus in stool samples from two healthy children in Lae.
Environmental samples from Port Moresby also tested positive for poliovirus Type 2, indicating the outbreak has already spread to multiple locations in the country.
Health officials have traced the outbreak to strains genetically linked to Indonesia, which shares a border with PNG.
This cross-border transmission highlights the ongoing failure of international health organizations to effectively control the disease in developing regions, despite billions in funding.
The vaccination crisis in PNG is severe, with immunization rates varying wildly across the country—some areas have coverage as low as 8% while others reach 82%.
“Polio anywhere is a threat everywhere, especially to our children. Polio in Papua New Guinea can spread to neighbouring countries and anywhere in the world.” WHO representative in PNG, Dr Sevil Huseynova, stated.
Polio primarily affects children under five years old and can cause irreversible paralysis in rare cases.
While there is no cure for the disease, it is entirely preventable through vaccination—a basic public health measure that globalist organizations have failed to deliver despite their constant demands for more funding and control over health policies.
The PNG Department of Health has launched a rapid response program with support from WHO, UNICEF, and the Australian government.
Their emergency plan aims to vaccinate approximately 3.5 million children aged 0 to 10, an enormous undertaking in a country with challenging geography and limited healthcare infrastructure.
“WHO requires us to have immunisation coverage of above 80 per cent at the moment, unfortunately our coverage is below 50 per cent and that has been a huge concern to us.” – PNG Health Minister Elias Kapavore declared.
This outbreak marks a significant setback for global polio eradication efforts. PNG had been polio-free since 2000 until a previous outbreak in 2018, which was contained.
The recurring nature of these outbreaks demonstrates the fragility of public health achievements when maintenance and vigilance are neglected.
In addition, the PNG crisis comes as polio has also re-emerged in other parts of Asia, with recent cases in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Even more concerning, the WHO has warned of a potential outbreak in Gaza after virus traces were found in wastewater.
Despite the bleak outlook, efforts like those from UNICEF provide hope. They remain confident that the outbreak can be contained with swift action.
However, this incident serves as a major reminder that vigilance in public health, including meeting WHO’s immunization standards, remains of paramount importance.
Polio outbreak declared in Papua New Guinea https://t.co/Jcb0kTr1ux
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 16, 2025
