Honorable representatives of the Ministry of Health of Sri Lanka
Chair and Members of the South-East Asia Regional Certification Commission on Polio Eradication
Chairs and members of National Certification Committees
Representatives of Partner Agencies
National Containment Focal Points
Colleagues
A good morning to you all.
I am pleased to address this 19th meeting of the South-East Asia Regional Certification Commission on Polio Eradication.
To the newly appointed members of the Commission – welcome.
To the outgoing members – my thanks and appreciation for your dedication and service.
One of South-East Asia’s proudest public health achievements came in March 2014, when the Region was certified polio-free.
That achievement has been safeguarded through your technical judgement and ongoing vigilance—for which our entire region is grateful
But polio is not yet history.
Wild poliovirus type 1 continues to circulate in some countries.
Outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus, particularly type 2, have affected multiple regions.
In an interconnected world, any outbreak anywhere can become a threat everywhere.
Immunity and surveillance gaps—particularly among mobile, marginalized and hard-to-reach populations—remain the openings though which this disease moves.
During the course of this meeting, the Commission will review the annual reports and supporting evidence from our Member States.
The guidance you provide will address the key pillars that keep our region polio-free.
First: maintaining high population immunity through routine immunization and targeted strategies for underserved communities.
Second: sustaining sensitive acute flaccid paralysis and environmental surveillance.
Third: strengthening risk assessment.
Fourth: outbreak preparedness—ensuring readiness to respond swiftly and effectively if poliovirus is detected.
Fifth: advancing containment of polioviruses, in line with the Global Action Plan IV.
As our Region advances in laboratory strengthening, vaccine production and biomedical research, the number and complexity of facilities handling polioviruses will increase.
The responsibility to prevent a containment breach grows with it.
Finally: Ensuring a smooth and responsible polio transition.
Transition is not an administrative exercise.
It is about protecting what works—core surveillance functions, rapid response capacities, and the laboratory networks that countries have built.
It is about retaining the community engagement platforms, the data systems, and the trained workforce that underpins immunization and outbreak preparedness.
None of this must be lost.
Bangladesh, India, Myanmar and Nepal are the priority countries we have identified where the scale of polio-funded assets and functions is substantial.
Careful planning is essential to avoid any loss of critical capacity in these countries.
We look forward to the Commission’s clear conclusions on the Region’s certification status, to guidance that is actionable, and recommendations that are prioritized.
These are invaluable for WHO and Member States alike and will ensure that our collective accountability remains strong.
My thanks to the Government and people of Sri Lanka, and the Ministry of Health, for graciously hosting this meeting.
My thanks also to the Chair and members of the Commission for your continued independent oversight; to the National Certification Committees, national containment authorities, and focal points—for the rigor of your work throughout the year.
Together, let us continue to protect every child from poliomyelitis, and keep South-East Asia polio-free.
Thank you.