New Hope in the Fight to Eradicate Polio
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http://www.globalpost.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/gp3_slideshow_large/pakistan-polio-vaccine-2013-1-24.jpg
This article heralds the good news that polio has been eradicated in India! It has been three years since the last case of polio in India, which was January 13, 2011 and the only case of polio in India that year. Although they have not yet received their official certification, it will be coming soon: 'Menabde said the WHO would officially declare India as polio-free by the end of March, when the legal process for certification was completed'.
This is an enormous milestone in epidemiological history because it is so hard to eradicate disease in India due to its large and very mobile population, high levels of poverty in areas, and many citizens living in remote regions.
In recent years the Indian government has made an enormous effort into vaccinating their citizens; immunizing over 170,000 children every year and spending $2.5 billion since 1995. Clearly their efforts have paid off with 741 cases in 2009, 42 in 2010, one in 2011, and none since then.
This article reminded me of the campaign to eradicate smallpox in India because they used similar techniques to target the mobile citizens of India: for example, vaccination booths were set up at bus stations, just like they were set up at train stations during the campaign to eradicate smallpox.
I am very happy to be able to post an article which sends a message of hope to the world, because so often do we hear negative stories in the mainstream media about various diseases, it is good that we can see progress and success in the field of disease prevention. It is even better to know that fewer people will suffer the horrors of polio, which is fast acting and can cause crippling effects in its victims in under 24 hours. It is good to know that we are one step closer to the global eradication of polio.
Link to original article:
India Soon to be Polio Free, Boosting Global Immunization Efforts, Reuters, Jan. 13th 2013
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/01/13/india-soon-to-be-polio-free-boosting-global-immunization-efforts/