Women football stars team up to kick polio out of Africa

Brazzaville, 22 July 2026 - Just days before the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) kicks off, African women footballers are calling on leaders across the continent to renew their political commitment, sustain investment and take collective action to protect every child from polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Launched by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in partnership with African women football stars, influential personalities and youth advocates, the "Kick Out Polio" campaign is rallying families, government leaders, young people, and community and civil society leaders throughout the tournament.

Women football stars from several African countries are calling on are calling on governments, partners, communities and families to safeguard hard-won gains and ensure that no child is left unvaccinated. Members of Generation Zero Polio, a network of young advocates from West and Central Africa, are supporting this call to action through an open letter to African leaders that will be released in the coming days.

The African Region has made significant progress towards the eradication of poliomyelitis, thanks to the leadership of governments and support from committed partners like KSrelief, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, Canada, Rotary International, the United Arab Emirates and Germany. There was a 50 % reduction in detections of all types of variant poliovirus (types 1, 2 and 3) reported during the first six months of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025.

However, challenges remain. Conflict, displacement, operational challenges, misinformation, other diseases, outbreaks, operational challenges, limited access to essential health services and declining resources continue to threaten progress. As a result, many children in countries experiencing polio outbreaks remain unvaccinated, while significant immunity gaps persist among children in other countries.

Poliovirus spreads rapidly within and across borders. A single case can put children in communities and countries far beyond the initial outbreak at risk, particularly where vaccination coverage is low. Reaching every child, wherever they live, is therefore essential to stopping transmission and sustaining Africa's progress.

Women are central to this effort. They lead vaccination teams, build trust with families, address concerns and help health services reach children in remote, underserved and crisis-affected communities.

The Women's Africa Cup of Nations offers a powerful opportunity to turn attention into action. The "Kick Out Polio" campaign calls on governments, partners and communities to sustain the leadership, resources and trust needed to reach every child and kick polio out of Africa.

Quotes:

• Olayinka Babalola, Rotary International President: "Every girl deserves the opportunity to play, lead, and thrive on and off the field. Rotary is proud to be a part of the Kick Out Polio campaign to make that opportunity real."
• Ramou Ndure, UNICEF West and Central Africa Deputy Regional Director: "Governments and institutions alone cannot end polio. It will be the people of Africa who finish the job. That is the spirit of the Kick Out Polio campaign."
• Dr. Marie Belizaire, WHO African Region Regional Emergency Director: "Finishing polio is not simply about ending one disease. It is an investment in the health, potential and future of an entire generation."
• Dr. Ayodele Renner, Health Content Creator: "Whether you're a doctor, athlete, musician, influencer or football fan, you can help protect children by sharing facts, encouraging vaccination and supporting Kick Out Polio."
• Smarty, UNICEF National Ambassador: "Music and football have the power to bring us together. Today, let us use that same power to mobilize, protect every child and kick polio out of Africa."
• Noella Djouku Nguetchuissi, Youth Advocate: "Africa's future starts with its children. If we want a healthier Africa tomorrow, we must invest in them today, make vaccination a priority and finish the fight against polio."
• Oeurdice Mukeba Mwe Tshiama, polio survivor: "No child should have to live with a disease that can be prevented. Let us give every child the chance to grow, to dream, and to choose their own future."

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Notes to editors:

The "Kick Out Polio" campaign was launched ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations in December 2025 and is being expanded during the Women's Africa Cup of Nations to place women's leadership at the centre of the mobilization for immunization and polio eradication.

The campaign features 11 women footballers: Érika Gnounoué, Inès Konan, Mariam Diakité, Rebecca Elloh and Mariam Diawara from Côte d'Ivoire; Ajara Nchout Njoya, Gabrielle Aboudi Onguené, Ange Gabrielle Bawou and Doudou Ousmanou from Cameroon; and Chiamaka Nnadozie and Francisca Ordega from Nigeria. All resources related to the campaign will be available here: https://makepoliohistory.org/team-end-polio/kick-out-polio/.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is a public-private partnership led by national governments with six partners - the World Health Organization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Gates Foundation and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Its goal is to eradicate polio worldwide. For more information on the global effort to end polio, visit polioeradication.org.

Media focal points:

Rotary International Europe and Africa Office: Claudia Brunner (+41443877116, claudia.brunner [at] rotary.org (claudia[dot]brunner[at]rotary[dot]org))

WHO Regional Office for Africa: Marta Villa Monge (+34636047679, mongem [at] who.int (mongem[at]who[dot]int))

UNICEF West and Central Africa: Typhaine Daems (+221 787003848, tdaems [at] unicef.org (tdaems[at]unicef[dot]org))