Namibia maintained its polio free status for the past 15 years, however, the country remains at risk given the reported polio cases in its neighboring countries. Surveillance for AFP is a key strategy together with immunization against polio and engaging clinicians with emphasis on AFP in the countries journey to eradicate polio.

Recently, 95 health workers attended a clinician sensitization meeting on priority diseases.  The meeting was hosted by the Khomas Regional Health Directorate with support from WHO Namibia on 16 November 2023. This meeting underscores WHO pivotal role in providing technical expertise in disease surveillance and contributing to the enhancement and maintaining of the International Health Regulations 2005 core capacities of early detection reporting and timely response to public health events.

As part of the implementation of the 3rd edition of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) Technical Guidelines (TGs), regular advocacy and clinician sensitization meeting needs to be conducted to ensure that health workers are equipped with knowledge to detect suspected cases, report, and respond to public health events. The clinician sensitization meeting is aligned with the WHO Transforming African Surveillance Systems (TASS) Flagship objective of enhancing advocacy and coordination of IDSR activities.

Dr Vaja Zatjirua, chairperson of the National Polio Expert Committee (NPEC) addressed the participants and emphasized the need to ensure that all AFP cases are reported in a timely manner, and adequate samples are collected and sent to the laboratory for investigation. Participants were also oriented on the polio programme indicators.

Cadres included nurses, surveillance officers, medical officers, medical superintendents, senior medical officers, and health programme officers, IPC focal points.