Key result
Burkina Faso AFP surveillance exceeds performance benchmarks, detecting 74 cVDPV2 cases from 2020 to 2024.
Why the study?
Surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis and environmental surveillance is a pillar of polio eradication in contexts marked by insecurity and circulation of vaccine-derived polioviruses type 2, motivating an evaluation of the surveillance system in Burkina Faso.
Cross-Sectional (n=6,243)
Yes
Poliomyelitis surveillance in Burkina Faso between 2020 and 2024 exceeded international thresholds for non-polio AFP detection and stool adequacy, but requires strengthening in active surveillance visits, contact sampling, environmental enterovirus detection, and specimen transport logistics, especially in insecure and hard-to-reach districts.
Surveillance met GPEI benchmarks amid cVDPV2 detections; leaves open optimal containment strategies in West Africa.
Surveillance for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and environmental surveillance is one of the pillars of the polio eradication strategy, particularly in contexts marked by insecurity and the circulation of vaccine-derived polioviruses type 2 (cVDPV2).Through a descriptive and retrospective crosssectional study, we evaluated the performance of the surveillance system in Burkina Faso between 2020 and 2024, using data from AFP monitoring, active research and environmental monitoring.The indicators were analysed annually and by health district and compared to the standards of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.A total of 6,243 AFP cases were reviewed; 70.6% were children under five years of age and 58% were boys.Seventy-four cVDPV2 were detected, mainly in 2020.The national rate of non-polio AFP remained above the expected threshold (more than 3 cases per 100,000 children < 15 years), while stool collection adequacy remained generally satisfactory (above 80%).However, several deficiencies remain, including active surveillance visits, contact sample collection, environmental monitoring, and timely delivery of samples to the laboratory.Overall, the system is satisfactory, but its effectiveness would improve in hard-to-reach areas to strengthen early detection and outbreak response.
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A 2026 study conducted a cross-sectional in Acute Flaccid Paralysis and Poliomyelitis (n=6,243). Epidemiological AFP and environmental poliomyelitis surveillance vs. Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and WHO performance standards was evaluated on Non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) rate per 100,000 children under 15 years of age (2024). Poliomyelitis surveillance in Burkina Faso maintained non-polio AFP rates of 10.43-13.39 per 100,000 and stool adequacy of 86.02-95.31% from 2020-2024, detecting 74 cVDPV2 cases.
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