WHO Grants Pre-Approval for a New Oral Polio Vaccine

SadaNews - The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that it has granted pre-approval for a new oral vaccine for polio type 2, a step it said will support efforts to eradicate the disease.

The pre-approval signifies that the vaccine meets international standards for quality and safety, allowing United Nations agencies such as UNICEF to purchase and distribute it for immunization campaigns.

The WHO stated that the vaccine is designed to be less prone to mutation compared to previous oral polio vaccines, thereby reducing the risk of causing a new outbreak of the disease and stopping the transmission of the infection.

This move follows a commitment by global leaders in December to provide $1.9 billion to support efforts to eradicate the disease, aiming to protect 370 million children each year despite recent budget cuts.

Polio, a disease that can cause disability and threaten life, has been eradicated in several regions but continues to spread.