Kampala, 21th August 2015:- Ministry of Health and World Health Organization (WHO), CDC Atlanta and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) conducted a two-day Polio Outbreak Response Table top Simulation Exercise (PORSE) at the Ministry of Health Emergency Operation Centre in Kampala in order to test the response plan and preparedness for the country to respond, to a Wild Polio Virus  (WPV) outbreak.

The Director General of Health Services Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng who officially opened the simulation exercise said that although no polio case has been reported in Uganda over the last four years, a response plan is needed in the event of possible WPV detected.

She further said that Uganda was prepared to respond to any outbreak with utmost urgency something she alluded to the well trained personnel whose capacity has been built over the years. She also thanked WHO, UNICEF and CDC Atlanta for their continued technical and financial support to the government in fighting polio.

The WHO Country Representative in remarks delivered by Dr. Andrew Bakainaga Niwagaba commended Uganda for the tremendous achievements they had made in combating polio and other outbreaks. He also said that the WHO is committed to support the country with the technical assistance needed within the broader framework of Integrated Diseases Surveillance & Response. He urged the country to continue the excellent work in remaining a Polio free country and ensuring that Polio is eradicated globally by 2018.

The goal of polio eradication depends on interrupting poliovirus transmission in the countries where endemic WPV continues to circulate and paralyse children. Importantly, a rapid and effective response to polioviruses is essential in the unlikely event that Polio is reintroduced into polio-free countries from the remaining endemic countries or another polio outbreak country.

A polio outbreak is a public health emergency and its implications can be devastating and far reaching for an affected country at many levels; suffering of people, the local economy, regional and global reputation.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to enhance emergency polio outbreak response. The new revised SOPs were endorsed by 68th World Health Assembly in May 2015. They set new standards for responding to outbreak in the light of experience gained by GPEI in handing outbreaks in recent past.

Uganda has revised and updated its National Outbreak preparedness and response plan in light of new SOPs to ensure rapid and robust response to any new polio virus in country.

The simulation exercise was led by facilitators from WHO and UNICEF and observed by CDC Atlanta, with evaluators from International Health Sciences University. Both facilitators and evaluators commended Uganda for having a robust response plan and were satisfied that Uganda was in position to respond to a polio outbreak adequately. In attendance were also WHO Uganda officials, MOH officials and district health officers.

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Mwebembezi Edmond, Public Information Officer
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Email:mwebembezie [at] who.int