Indonesia’s polio outbreak has officially ended, the World Health Organization announced Friday, marking the close of a nearly three-year effort to stop the spread of the highly contagious disease.
According to The Associated Press, polio was declared eliminated in Indonesia in 2014, but the country saw a resurgence eight years later in Aceh province.
Officials said the outbreak began amid chronically low routine immunization rates and poor environmental conditions. In 2021, just 50.9% of infants in Aceh received a polio vaccine — far below national levels.
Public health experts pointed to misinformation about vaccine safety and religious compatibility as major challenges in the province. A shift in government focus toward COVID-19 vaccinations also contributed to declining polio coverage.
Over the next two years, cases spread beyond Aceh, appearing in Banten, West Java, Central Java, East Java, North Maluku, and parts of Papua. The government and international partners responded with a mass immunization campaign, administering nearly 60 million additional doses of polio vaccine to children.
The last confirmed case was reported in South Papua in June 2024. With no new detections in children or environmental samples since then, WHO formally declared the outbreak over on Wednesday.
In a joint announcement on Friday, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin praised the nationwide effort.
He credited “the dedication of health workers and the commitment of parents and communities,” calling the achievement a major milestone for public health.
WHO Western Pacific Regional Director Saia Ma’u Piukala called the declaration “a critical step toward global eradication,” but urged countries to remain alert.
“One day, polio will be just a memory. Until then, we vaccinate,” Piukala said.
With the outbreak ended, Indonesia is shifting to long-term prevention. Sadikin said the government will focus on strengthening routine immunization, improving disease surveillance, and working closely with local communities.
“Every child deserves protection,” he said. “We cannot be complacent, however. The risk of polio remains, especially with the gaps in immunization coverage in several provinces.”
Indonesia’s immunization drive included two national rounds using a novel oral polio vaccine and efforts to boost routine coverage. The country reported significant progress: the second dose of inactivated polio vaccine increased from 63% of children in 2023 to 73% last year. Officials credited part of the rise to the introduction of a hexavalent vaccine, which reduces the number of injections needed and supports faster immunity development.
UNICEF Indonesia Representative Maniza Zaman said the response shows what can be accomplished with sustained cooperation.
“This shows what is possible when communities, health workers, and partners unite,” Zaman said. “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.”
