Polio in Malawi faces mass vaccination drive amid misinformation and aid cuts

Malawi declared a polio outbreak after poliovirus was detected in sewage samples and a child was treated; WHO airlifted emergency vaccine supplies and about 1.3 million children were vaccinated in four days.

Malawi has launched a major vaccination campaign after officials reported poliovirus in environmental sewage samples and a child was treated for the disease. Emergency vaccine doses were airlifted by the World Health Organization and teams have been vaccinating across affected areas. The outbreak is described in official accounts as a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus detected in Blantyre. The response is taking place while global funding for polio work has fallen and misinformation about vaccines is circulating on social media. Key facts: - Detection: Two environmental sewage samples in Blantyre tested positive and a child has been treated for polio. - Rapid response: WHO airlifted emergency vaccine supplies and around 1.3 million children were vaccinated within four days. - Virus type and risk: Authorities reported a vaccine-derived poliovirus, which can emerge where oral vaccine virus spreads in areas with low vaccination coverage and poor sanitation. - Operational challenges: Teams report local hesitancy, social media misinformation, and a funding shortfall for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative that officials say may limit large-scale responses. Summary: The vaccination drive aims to interrupt transmission and protect children, and health teams report continued testing and surveillance in affected communities. Officials say community engagement to address hesitancy and the availability of external funding will influence how large and sustained the response can be.