Making Progress Toward a World Without Polio

A world free from polio is possible thanks to extraordinary progress made since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988 when 350,000 polio cases were reported in 125 polio-endemic countries around the world. By 2001, those numbers were reduced to 475 cases in only 10 polio-endemic countries, and today wild polio virus remains endemic in just three countries—Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan.  The world is pushing forward with “what is perhaps the most extraordinary globally coordinated health program in history in terms of its magnitude and reach,” according to CDC’s Dr. Steve Cochi. 

• Fewer cases. Today 80% of the world’s people now live in polio-free area. So far in 2014, as of 8 October, only 222 cases have been reported worldwide. Of these, 84% are from Pakistan. Four of the six World Health Organization regions now free of polio (the Americas gained polio-free certification in 1994, the Western Pacific in 2000, Europe in 2002, and South-East Asia this year).
• Major progress globally. Progress continues toward a polio-free Africa, possibly by the end of 2014.  In just the past year, scientists noted the passage of nearly 2 years since type 3 wild poliovirus has been detected anywhere in the world, Nigeria achieved a more than 50% reduction in the number of polio cases reported in 2013 compared with 2012, and the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Region was certified as polio free. 
• Technology and innovations are pointing toward continued success.  New weapons in the battle against this disease include the innovative use of geographic information systems (GIS) to better plan vaccination campaigns as well as the use of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) delivered in a syringe to supplement and eventually replace the traditional polio drops. The journal also contains reports on country initiatives such the intensified campaigns in Nigeria that have greatly reduced polio cases and led to global progress against this crippler of young children. 

 The Journal of Infectious Diseases provides an overview of the extraordinary progress that has been made against polio. The journal also contains reports on country initiatives such the intensified campaigns in Nigeria that have greatly reduced polio cases and led to global progress against this crippler of young children.  For more information, visit CDC Polio Program  webpage.

Contact Information

Spokespersons

Gregory Armstrong, MD

Biography

“We have never been as close as we are now to seeing a polio-free Africa."

Gregory Armstrong, MD - Incident Manager , Polio Eradication Response, Emergency Operations Center

Stephen L. Cochi, MD

Biography

“Progress has been hard fought, but the prospects for completing the eradication of polio and securing this victory forever are now better than ever."

Stephen L. Cochi, MD - Senior Advisor to the Director, Global Immunization Division, Center for global Health

Steve Wassilak, MD

Biography

“Progress has been hard fought, but the prospects for completing the eradication of polio and securing this victory forever are now better than ever."

Steve Wassilak, MD - Team lead, Science, Innovation and Research for the Polio Response, Emergency Operations Center