Madagascar Polio Response: New Lab Boosts Efforts | WHO
Madagascar‘s Polio Surveillance Leap: A New Era of Protection and Regional Leadership
Antananarivo, Madagascar – A important advancement in public health infrastructure has been unveiled in Madagascar, with the official handover of a state-of-the-art laboratory dedicated to the surveillance and detection of polioviruses. This fully World Health Association (WHO) accredited facility, established in 2023 and hosted at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s ongoing commitment to protecting its children from the devastating impacts of polio and solidifies its role as a regional powerhouse in rapid outbreak response.
The commissioning of this advanced laboratory represents a tangible step towards a future where polio is a relic of the past. “This commissioning symbolizes our collective commitment,” stated Dr. Nely Alphonse José, head of the plague, emerging, and neglected tropical disease control department at the Ministry of Public Health. “It brings us closer to a future where no child in Madagascar-or anywhere-is at risk of polio.”
Since its establishment, the laboratory has dramatically amplified Madagascar’s capacity for swift poliovirus detection through both acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and environmental surveillance. Between 2022 and 2024, the facility successfully identified over 40 cases of circulating variant poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1). This crucial data enabled immediate, targeted immunization campaigns, playing an instrumental role in halting a significant cVDPV1 outbreak. The success of these efforts was underscored in May 2025, when Madagascar celebrated two full years without any new detections, leading to the official declaration of the outbreak’s closure following a complete assessment.
“This laboratory is not only a national asset-it’s a regional resource,” emphasized Dr. Laurent Musango, WHO Representative in Madagascar. “with strengthened capacity and cutting-edge technology, Madagascar is now even better positioned to lead the charge against poliovirus transmission in Eastern and Southern Africa.”
The handover to national authorities signifies a crucial stride towards lasting, country-led polio surveillance and self-sufficiency in managing future outbreaks. It ensures robust measures are in place to maintain the country’s polio-free status and contribute meaningfully to the global objective of eradicating polio entirely.
this transformative initiative is the product of sustained collaboration between national health authorities, the WHO, and vital support from the Gates Foundation. The laboratory is now at the forefront of pilot projects, integrating innovative tools such as direct detection via Nanopore sequencing. This cutting-edge technology significantly accelerates and enhances the accuracy of viral identification, eliminating the previous delays associated with shipping samples abroad for genomic sequencing.
The WHO and its partners have provided comprehensive technical support, including extensive training, critical IT upgrades, and optimization of environmental sampling sites. These efforts are instrumental in bolstering the laboratory’s operational capabilities and reinforcing national endeavors to meet the enterprising objectives of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Accredited for viral isolation, intratypic differentiation, and environmental surveillance, the laboratory now stands as a cornerstone of Madagascar’s integrated disease surveillance system. It guarantees the provision of timely, actionable data, essential for guiding vaccination campaigns and orchestrating effective outbreak responses across the nation.
A Forward Look:
The establishment and accreditation of this advanced laboratory in Madagascar represent a profound investment in public health security,not just for the nation but for the entire Eastern and Southern African region. As Madagascar continues to leverage this enhanced capacity, its leadership in polio surveillance and response will undoubtedly serve as a model for other nations striving to achieve and maintain polio-free status, bringing the world closer to the ultimate goal of global polio eradication.