The World Health Organization has declared Indonesia's nearly three-year polio outbreak officially over after a large-scale vaccination and public-information campaign. The outbreak began in Aceh, where routine immunization rates were low, and spread to several provinces. Nearly 60 million extra vaccine doses were administered and the last confirmed case was in South Papua in June 2024. Authorities say continued vigilance, improved routine immunization and strong surveillance are essential to prevent resurgence.
WHO Declares Indonesia's Polio Outbreak Over After Nearly Three-Year Vaccination Push
The World Health Organization has declared Indonesia's nearly three-year polio outbreak officially over after a large-scale vaccination and public-information campaign. The outbreak began in Aceh, where routine immunization rates were low, and spread to several provinces. Nearly 60 million extra vaccine doses were administered and the last confirmed case was in South Papua in June 2024. Authorities say continued vigilance, improved routine immunization and strong surveillance are essential to prevent resurgence.
06:53 PM, 11/21/2025Health
Jakarta — The World Health Organization has declared Indonesia's polio outbreak over following an intensive response that lasted nearly three years, officials announced. The decision comes after extensive vaccination campaigns, strengthened surveillance and community outreach.
Polio had been eliminated in Indonesia in 2014, but the disease re-emerged in 2022 in Aceh province amid chronically low routine immunization coverage and challenging environmental conditions. In 2021, only 50.9% of infants born in Aceh received polio vaccination. Misinformation, including claims that the vaccine conflicted with religious beliefs, and a national focus on COVID-19 vaccination campaigns contributed to gaps in routine immunization.
Over the next two years, cases were reported across multiple provinces — including Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, North Maluku, Central Papua, Highland Papua and South Papua — prompting a major national response. Authorities administered nearly 60 million additional doses of polio vaccine and carried out broad public information efforts to counter hesitancy.
The last laboratory-confirmed polio case was detected in South Papua in June 2024. No poliovirus has been found in clinical or environmental surveillance samples since then, leading WHO to officially declare the outbreak over.
"This success reflects the dedication of health workers and the commitment of parents and communities," said Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.
WHO Western Pacific Regional Director Saia Ma'u Piukala called the milestone "a critical step toward global eradication," while urging continued vigilance: "I urge all our 38 countries and areas to remain vigilant. One day polio will be just a memory. Until then, we vaccinate."
Vaccination and system improvements
Indonesia's response included two rounds of nationwide immunization using the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) alongside efforts to strengthen routine immunization and surveillance. The reported number of children receiving the second dose of inactivated polio vaccine increased from 1.9 million (63%) in 2023 to 3.2 million (73%) in 2024. Officials attributed part of this improvement to the rollout of a hexavalent vaccine, which reduces the number of injections while expanding protection against multiple childhood diseases.
UNICEF Indonesia Representative Maniza Zaman emphasized the importance of sustaining momentum: "This shows what is possible when communities, health workers and partners unite. We must keep up the momentum so every child receives the immunization they need to grow up healthy and free from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases."
Next steps and ongoing risks
Health authorities say they will maintain heightened surveillance, strengthen routine immunization, and continue community engagement to close remaining coverage gaps. Officials warned that while the outbreak is over, the risk of polio resurgence persists where immunization coverage remains uneven.