WHO Prequalifies New Oral Polio Vaccine nOPV2

The World Health Organization (WHO) has prequalified another novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), strengthening global efforts to eradicate poliomyelitis. The decision enables United Nations agencies, including UNICEF, to procure and distribute the vaccine for immunisation campaigns worldwide.

Prequalification confirms that the vaccine meets international standards of quality, safety and efficacy, facilitating its use in large-scale public health programmes.

Why nOPV2 Matters

The nOPV2 vaccine has been engineered to be more genetically stable than earlier oral polio vaccines. Traditional oral vaccines, while effective, carried a rare risk of mutating and triggering circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks.

By enhancing genetic stability, nOPV2 lowers the likelihood of such reversions while maintaining the ability to interrupt virus transmission. This innovation addresses a key challenge in the final stages of global polio eradication.

Global Eradication Push

The prequalification follows a December pledge by global leaders to mobilise $1.9 billion in funding to accelerate eradication efforts. The programme aims to immunise approximately 370 million children annually, even amid fiscal constraints and competing health priorities.

Polio has been eliminated from most parts of the world through sustained vaccination drives. However, the virus continues to circulate in limited regions, posing risks of resurgence if immunisation coverage declines.

Continuing Public Health Challenge

Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious viral disease that can cause paralysis and, in severe cases, death. It primarily affects children under five years of age. Global eradication efforts, led by WHO and partners, rely heavily on oral polio vaccines for mass campaigns due to their ease of administration and ability to induce intestinal immunity.

Important Facts for Exams

• WHO prequalification allows UN agencies to procure vaccines for global use.
• nOPV2 targets type 2 poliovirus and is more genetically stable than older OPVs.
• Polio mainly affects children under five and can cause irreversible paralysis.
• Global eradication efforts aim to immunise around 370 million children annually.

Towards a Polio-Free World

The approval of another nOPV2 vaccine represents a critical step in closing immunity gaps and preventing vaccine-derived outbreaks. With sustained funding and high immunisation coverage, global health agencies seek to eliminate the remaining pockets of poliovirus transmission and secure a polio-free future.