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In Major Milestone, Africa Now Polio-Free

Carol Pearson

   WASHINGTON - All of Africa has reached a very important milestone. The
   World Health Organization has declared that the entire continent is now
   free of the wild poliovirus. This comes after four years without a
   single case.

   With this historic milestone, five of the six WHO regions --
   representing over 90% of the world's population -- are now free of the
   crippling disease. The world is now closer to achieving global polio
   eradication. If it can be done, it will be the second infectious
   disease, after smallpox, to be eliminated.

   It has not been easy. It's taken decades and millions of health workers
   traveling by foot, boat, bus and bicycle to reach children in remote
   geographic areas. Health workers have even braved conflict to prevent
   children from enduring life-long disability and paralysis.

   In 1996, South African President Nelson Mandela, with the support of
   service organization Rotary International, jumpstarted Africa's
   commitment to polio eradication with the launch of the [1]Kick Polio
   Out of Africa campaign.

   Mandela's call mobilized African nations and leaders across the
   continent to step up their efforts to reach every child with the polio
   vaccine. At the time, polio was paralyzing an estimated 75,000
   children, annually, on the African continent. Since then, 9 billion
   oral polio vaccines have prevented nearly 2 million cases of wild
   poliovirus on the continent, according to the WHO.

   Carol Pandak heads [2]Rotary International's Polio Plus Program. "We
   have made tremendous progress working with community leaders," she told
   VOA, "sometimes with military officials, to help deliver vaccine to
   reduce the number of children that were inaccessible due to conflict,
   down to very, very small numbers."
   Other leaders, like former Nigerian Health Minister [3]Dr. Muhammad Ali
   Pate, went from village to village in his native Nigeria to persuade
   tribal leaders to let children get vaccinated.

References

   1. file://localhost/tmp/lynxXXXXxXaeqa/africakicksoutwildpolio.com
   2. https://www.endpolio.org/
   3. https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/people/m/muhammad-ali-pate

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