The Polio Goal
Polio (poliomyelitis, or poliovirus) – source: www.rotary.org
- Enters through mouth; multiplies in tonsils and lymph nodes. Proceeds to gastrointestinal tract.
- Virus multiplies in intestines and spreads via feces (diaper changes, contaminated water, poor hygiene, etc.).
- Can cause paralysis within hours and attacks motor neurons in the brain stem, affecting breathing.
- More than 10 million children will be paralyzed in the next 40 years if the world fails to capitalize on its US$4 billion global investment in eradication.
- Historically, polio has been the world’s greatest cause of disability.
- A single dose of vaccine can cost as little as US60¢.
There is no cure for polio, but the polio vaccine has been in widespread use since April 12, 1955.
The Goal
1953: Polio epidemic peaks in Canada with one of the highest incidences of infection ever recorded in the world.
1985: Rotary International made the eradication of polio a priority and formed PolioPlus; the original goal was to eradicate polio through immunization by 2000. That goal has not been met.
1988: Inspired by success of Rotary International’s PolioPlus program, the World Health Organization (WHO) introduces an initiative to eradicate polio by 2005. That goal has not been met.
Since 1955, worldwide instances of polio have dropped 99%.
Polio in the Developed World
Polio is literally an airplane ride away.
Like people in other developed countries where national immunization programs have protected generations from the devastations of polio since the introduction of the Salk (1954) and Sabin (1961) vaccines, Canadians have come to feel so safe from the disease, that many now consider it unnecessary to immunize their children.
In today’s age of frequent, international travel, all non-immunized people are at risk no matter where they live. Polio is literally an airplane ride away.
In July 2007, a positive case of polio was confirmed in Australia, as was the case in 2006 in Singapore. The GPEI News also reported the isolation of wild poliovirus (wpv) in the sewer water of the city of Geneva in August 2007. It is “due to high vaccination coverage and good sanitation” that detection of the virus was not considered to “represent a significant risk of outbreak.”
Polio in Canada
If asked, most Canadians would say that polio is “solved.” So, educating Canadians about polio, the vaccines and advocating continued immunization is absolutely necessary.
Polio is not solved.
In Canada, the immunization rate against polio is at 89%; leaving nearly four million Canadians (11%) vulnerable to this viral infection. According to WHO calculations, the rate of immunization is presently low enough to put Canada at risk for at least localized outbreaks.
“As long as a single child remains infected with the poliovirus, children in all countries are at risk of contracting the disease. The poliovirus can easily be imported into a polio-free country and can spread rapidly amongst immunized populations. Between 2003 and 2005, 25 previously polio-free countries were reinfected due to importations.” - (WHO)
Canadians should be aware that in addition to the threat of new polio infections, more than 10 million polio survivors worldwide are living without access to the rehabilitative support that would enable them to overcome the devastating physical effects of polio.
Polio in the Developing World
Despite the great success of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), spearheaded by Rotary International (R.I.), the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF, in reducing the number of new cases by 99% since 1988, the hard fact is today, polio is still very present in four countries; India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Polio remains endemic in four countries:
- Nigeria: 264 new infections
- India: 590 new infections
- Pakistan: 30 new infections
- Afghanistan: 13 new infections
Polio has re-infected the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 41 new cases in 2007. A total of 95 instances of polio infection occurred in non-endemic countries in 2007.
A Culture of Crawlers
They are doomed to living on the ground, to getting about from place to place by crawling, using sandals over their hands to protect them and pieces of rubber tires strapped over their knees... These polio survivors without rehabilitative support are called ‘Crawlers’. They are so many as to constitute a ‘Culture of Crawlers.’
They need our help.
Year-to-date infections in 2007 Source: www.polioeradication.org
For further information
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Explains polio, nature of disease, why vaccinate and difference between Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) and Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) vaccines. - Rotary International: PolioPlus
PolioPlus is the world’s first and largest humanitarian service organization. Through PolioPlus (1985), “Rotary was the first to have the vision of a polio-free world, and continues to play a crucial role in the global efforts to eradicate polio.” (GPEI) - Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)
The GPEI is the largest public health initiative in history. Spearheading partners: Rotary International (RI) through the PolioPlus program, World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and UNICEF. Provides information on aspects of polio, the vaccines, current information on the global situation, see Polio News. - Public Health Agency of Canada
See: Immunization and Vaccines Provides up-to-date, plain language information regarding immunizations for vaccine-preventable diseases, and deals with common myths and misconceptions regarding immunization. - Canadian International Immunization Initiative - phase 2 (CIII -2)
This address will take you to the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) site. The CPHA is the organization contracted by the federal government to carry out the technical aspects of the CIII, which is now in its second phase. Explains the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and Canada’s role in global immunization programs for vaccine-preventable diseases. - Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
Plain language explanation of polio, the effects of the disease and of the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV); provided by injection in Canada, U.S, and developed countries, as opposed to the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) which is used for mass immunizations.