DRC—The Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN) has partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to enhance the poliovirus sequencing techniques in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Senegal.
WHO has prioritized the strengthening of in-country laboratory capacity, recognizing the vital role of high-quality data in detecting poliovirus outbreaks.
Furthermore, WHO is providing support to 16 polio laboratories in the African region, which offer environmental surveillance assistance by testing stool and wastewater samples to track the geographical spread of poliovirus.
To enhance Africa’s early detection capabilities, WHO’s Polio Eradication Programme organized a one-week meeting in Accra, Ghana, to support the efforts of polio laboratory directors.
Workshops will also be conducted for laboratory technicians in these countries to enhance their skills in rapid sample analysis techniques.
During the Accra meeting, more than 50 participants from 14 countries shared ideas on how to strengthen the role of laboratories in polio eradication efforts and agreed on expanding sequencing capacity in Africa.
The program included break-out sessions to address specific national issues and find solutions.
WHO acknowledged that laboratories are not only crucial for surveillance to maintain the region’s certification as polio-free but also for detecting and tracking ongoing outbreaks of circulating variant polioviruses (cVDPVs) that persist in Africa.
With a presence in 47 African Member States, the polio programme is one of the largest public-private health partnerships in history.
Vitally, the polio eradication infrastructure in Africa will help advance the world towards polio-free status.
WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr Francis Kasolo at the Accra meeting said, “Now more than ever, enhancing the quality and capacity of the polio laboratories to ensure prompt testing is key to accelerating the polio eradication efforts.”
Dr. Jude Kfutwah, the coordinator of the Regional Polio Laboratory Network reassured, “Teams were working to address the needs at country level, including enhanced capacities for multi-pathogen detections from environmental samples, that ultimately serve to identify infectious organisms and provide relevant information to health systems on circulating pathogens. ¨
During the training in Accra, participants highlighted many of their challenges with polio laboratory data management, noting the need to especially strengthen the collaboration among countries.
Dr John Kofi Odoom, head of Ghana’s Polio Laboratory, “It is critical that we deepen the sharing of technology, experiences and ideas within the continent to consolidate our gains and accelerate progress towards polio eradication.”
Understanding Africa Polio laboratory network’s role in the continent
World Health Organisation Regional Office in Africa (WHO-AFRO) notes that with only one in 200 individuals infected with poliovirus associated with paralysis, laboratory investigation is key.
In addition, most infections are asymptomatic or result in only mild illness, and so are not detected by Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance which entails actively seeking out children with signs of paralysis to identify potential cases.
Improved genetic sequencing and analysis capacity has become increasingly urgent, as the incidence of poliovirus rises in Africa.
WHO reports that since July 2022, more than 799 polioviruses have been detected in 19 countries in the African region, all being laboratory-confirmed.
Contextually, the African polio laboratory network started to take shape in 1990 through the efforts of WHO’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).
By 1995, the network had 13 national and three regional reference labs across 15 countries in the African region.
Currently, the African Regional Polio Laboratory Network consists of three Regional Reference Laboratories (RRLs) based in the Central African Republic, Ghana, and South Africa.
In addition, 13 Intertypic Differentiation (ITD) laboratories are responsible for the isolation of polioviruses that assist the RRLs in the function to identify and isolate poliovirus.
WHO AFRO reckons that the measles and yellow fever laboratory network has also been built on a similar platform as the polio lab network and is currently made up of 37 Laboratories.
The Measles and yellow fever Regional Reference Laboratories are currently located at the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire in Côte d’Ivoire, the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Uganda, the Institut Pasteur de Dakar in Senegal, and the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa.
These laboratories play a vital role in the diagnosis of poliovirus, providing confirmation and serving as a crucial component of surveillance and response efforts.
These initiatives align with existing and new frameworks such as the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR), the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), the One Health approach, and the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA).
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