Transition Planning

Transition planning is a critical part of preparing for a polio-free world. The polio transition process aims to secure the infrastructure set up to eradicate polio and use it to support stronger, more resilient health systems.
Over many years, the GPEI has built significant infrastructure for disease surveillance, social mobilization, and vaccine delivery; developed in-depth knowledge and expertise; and learned valuable lessons about reaching the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations on earth.

As we come closer to eradicing polio, GPEI resources are being redirected away from polio-free countries to focus on achieving the two core goals of the Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-2026 – eradicating wild polio and responding to polio outbreaks. In polio-free countries, WHO and UNICEF, together with the national governments are working to ensure that critical infrastructure is transitioned to support broader health priorities. This will ensure that the most vital assets and staff are sustained to support health systems far into the future, especially in the areas of essential immunization, emergency preparedness and response and keeping the world polio-free. At WHO, this work is guided by the Strategic Action Plan on Polio Transition (2018 – 2023). Transition activities are overseen by the Polio Transition Independent Monitoring Board (TIMB).

Why do we need to transition polio assets?

To keep the world polio free

After polio has been eradicated, some activities and functions of GPEI will need to continue to make sure the world stays polio-free. These include:

• Proper storage of the virus in essential facilities so it isn’t accidentally or intentionally released
• Disease surveillance, to rapidly detect the re-emergence of the virus
• Outbreak response capabilities, for quick and effective response to any polio events
• Continued immunization, so that people are protected in the event of an outbreak
• A governance and management structure for these ongoing essential functions

National governments and GPEI partners must plan for these essential polio functions to be incorporated into existing public health program​mes in order to keep the world polio-free.

In 2018, GPEI developed a polio Post-Certification Strategy to define, at a global level, the technical standards that will be needed in order to maintain a polio-free world.

Learn more about the Post-Certification Strategy.

To support broader health priorities

GPEI runs an extensive infrastructure of global disease surveillance systems, vaccine supply and logistics networks, and a network of over 140 polio laboratories. It has built significant communications and capacity building expertise, and developed thousands of skilled staff and millions of community based health workers, social mobilisers, and volunteers. GPEI’s operational capacities help reach populations in areas with little to no infrastructure.

This infrastructure already goes much further than polio eradication, supporting a wide range of health initiatives like essential immunization, including support to measles campaigns, maternal and child health programmes, humanitarian emergencies and disease outbreak, and sanitation and hygiene programmes.

The Strategic Action Plan on Polio Transition (2018 – 2023) outlines two areas, essential immunization and emergency response, where the transition of polio assets and infrastructure can assist with strengthening operations.

Capture and transfer lessons learned from polio eradication

GPEI has learned many valuable lessons on reaching hard-to-reach and high-risk populations, working in conflict affected areas, harnessing global commitment to a cause, and other challenging areas. A key component of transition planning is to capture and share these lessons for the benefit of the broader development community.

Learn more about capturing and sharing lessons learned

Transition planning at the country level 

Transition planning at the global and regional levels, and stakeholder engagement