title: Polio Eradication Initiative: Contribution to improved communicable diseases surveillance in WHO African region.
abstract: Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988, there has been a tremendous progress in the reduction of cases of poliomyelitis. The world is on the verge of achieving global polio eradication and in May 2013, the 66th World Health Assembly endorsed the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan (PEESP) 2013-2018. The plan provides a timeline for the completion of the GPEI by eliminating all paralytic polio due to both wild and vaccine-related polioviruses.
  
  
  
  We reviewed how GPEI supported communicable disease surveillance in seven of the eight countries that were documented as part of World Health Organization African Region best practices documentation. Data from WHO African region was also reviewed to analyze the performance of measles cases based surveillance.
  
  
  
  All 7 countries (100%) which responded had integrated communicable diseases surveillance core functions with AFP surveillance. The difference is on the number of diseases included based on epidemiology of diseases in a particular country. The results showed that the polio eradication infrastructure has supported and improved the implementation of surveillance of other priority communicable diseases under integrated diseases surveillance and response strategy.
  
  
  
  As we approach polio eradication, polio-eradication initiative staff, financial resources, and infrastructure can be used as one strategy to build IDSR in Africa. As we are now focusing on measles and rubella elimination by the year 2020, other disease-specific programs having similar goals of eradicating and eliminating diseases like malaria, might consider investing in general infectious disease surveillance following the polio example.
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Representative Office, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mwengee
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo. Electronic address: okeibunorj@who.int.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Okeibunor
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poy
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shaba
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Representative Office, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mbulu Kinuani
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Minkoulou
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yahaya
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gaturuku
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Country Representative Office, Lome, Togo.
authors.forename: Dadja Essoya
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Landoh
authors.affiliation: Global Public Health Solutions, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nsubuga
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Mbaye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salla
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mihigo
authors.affiliation: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Africa, Brazzaville, Congo.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mkanda
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D060740:Disease Eradication; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D011051:Poliomyelitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014944:World Health Organization
chemical_list: D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines
keywords: Acute Flaccid Paralysis surveillance; Integrated disease surveillance; Polio Eradication Initiative