This guidance was developed by the Polio Eradication Department of the World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland, based on expert opinion and scientific principles. It aims to assist countries faced with a containment breach, but may be adapted according to the situation and country context, especially the legal context. As knowledge and experience may grow, this guidance may need to be reviewed and updated. Many experts provided input and feedback on this guidance, including experts from polio laboratories, national authorities for containment, public health agencies within WHO Member States and other stakeholders.

This volume describes the most common laboratory procedures for isolation, identification and characterization of polioviruses used in clinical and research laboratories. Written for the Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Poliovirus: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

This is a significant revision of the existing Standard Operating Procedures necessitated by recent advances in outbreak response, principally the Emergency Use Listing of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 in 2021. This is the fourth version of the polio outbreak SOPs which give response teams in countries step by step guidance on how to respond, including vaccine choice and scope of the response in countries, and how these steps are supported by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

The Global Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026 supersedes the Polio Strategy 2019-2023, taking into account new tools and approaches, including the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 and need to more concertedly address vaccine-derived polioviruses, as well as new operations tactics in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is intended to layout the roadmap to achieving and sustaining a polio-free world, free of all forms of poliovirus. It is intended to be a strategic resource and guidance document for GPEI stakeholders, partners, donors and affected country governments.

This practical guide contains seven modules targeted at district and health facility staff. It intends to meet the demands to improve immunization services so as to reach more infants in a sustainable way, building upon the experiences of polio eradication. It includes materials adapted from polio on planning, monitoring and use of data to improve the service, that can be used at any level. Revising the manual has been a team exercise. There are contributions from a large number of experts, organizations and institutions. This new edition has seven modules. Several new vaccines that have become more readily available and used in recent years have been added. Also the section on integration with other health interventions has been expanded as exciting opportunities and experiences have become evident in the years following the previous edition. Module 1: Target diseases and vaccines Module 2: The vaccine cold chain Module 3: Ensuring safe injections Module 4: Microplanning for reaching every community Module 5: Managing an immunization session Module 6: Monitoring and surveillance Module 7: Partnering with communities.

The evaluation of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) by the Disease Control Priorities, Third Edition (DCP3) focuses on maternal conditions, childhood illness, and malnutrition. Specifically, the chapters address acute illness and undernutrition in children, principally under age 5. It also covers maternal mortality, morbidity, stillbirth, and influences to pregnancy and pre-pregnancy. Volume 3 focuses on developments since the publication of DCP2 and will also include the transition to older childhood, in particular, the overlap and commonality with the child development volume. The DCP3 evaluation of these conditions produced three key findings: 1. There is significant difficulty in measuring the burden of key conditions such as unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, nonsexually transmitted infections, infertility, and violence against women. 2. Investments in the continuum of care can have significant returns for improved and equitable access, health, poverty, and health systems. 3. There is a large difference in how RMNCH conditions affect different income groups; investments in RMNCH can lessen the disparity in terms of both health and financial risk.