Polio Eradication From the Western Hemisphere

Quest for life-long protection by vaccination.

“…Polio-free zones are beginning to emerge in North Africa, southern and eastern Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. In the Western Hemisphere, the last case of paralytic polio caused by a wild virus was identified in 1991 (41,42).…”

Challenges To Building Capacity For Evidence-Based New Vaccine Policy In Developing Countries

“…16 This was certainly the case for the eradication of polio, measles, and rubella. [4][5][6] Each year, the region's ministers of health convene a meeting of the Directing Council of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C. At this annual meeting, the ministers discuss regional priorities and make decisions about public health priorities for the Western Hemisphere. Indeed, it was as a result of such meetings that countries agreed to collectively eradicate polio, measles, and rubella from the Americas.…”

“…The polio eradication efforts and subsequent creation of plans of action to ensure the program's sustainability are partially responsible for the strength and level of political support of current immunization programs in the Americas. 4 Experience also demonstrates that technical and financial oversight in the form of expert review committees will enhance the coordination of necessary technical expertice provided by key international partners such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others.…”

“…In the Americas, the most obvious evidence of successful national immunization programs is the eradication of polio, measles, and rubella. [4][5][6] This article describes how new vaccine decision challenges have been addressed in the Americas. Specific issues addressed include the quality of national immunization technical advisory groups; the quantity and quality of countryspecific epidemiological and economic evidence to inform the policy-making process; the financial sustainability of immunization programs; and immunization management capacity with respect to the introduction of new vaccines.…”

Mass polio vaccination

“…Cases from India in 1994 accounted for 93% of the regional total and 62% of the global total,7 but the disease has practically disappeared from many developed countries in the Americas, Europe, and Western Pacific regions 8. Most countries in southern and northern Africa have also recently achieved their eradication targets 4…”