In 1988, there were 40 cases of polio every hour. In 2016, there were 40 cases over the entire year. 2017 has seen fewer children paralyzed by the virus than during the same period last year.
Oversight and management of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative at the global and country levels is more robust than it has ever been. Polio programs in the three remaining endemic countries have never been stronger. Multiple polio outbreaks outside of the endemic countries have been identified and responded to successfully, containing the virus within a shrinking geographic area. The possibility that 2017 could be the year we interrupt circulation of the wild polio virus is real. However the virus is tenacious and its last reservoirs are within some of the most difficult places in the world to work. The fight to eradicate polio has taught many hard lessons, not the least of which is the danger of overconfidence.
Panel Discussion:
Moderated by Silvio Waisbord, Associate Director, Professor of Media and Public Affairs at the School of Media and Public Affairs, The George Washington University
Featuring:
Ellyn Ogden, USAID, Worldwide Polio Eradication Coordinator
Ellen Coates, Former Director of CORE Group Polio Project and Member of the Laos PDR Polio Outbreak Assessment Team
Chris Millard, Program Manager and Research Associate, Global Health Policy Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and author of several papers on the polio program
Dr. Folake Olayinka, Immunization Team Lead, Maternal and Child Survival Program
SEE FULL PRESENTATIONS:
Presentation 1 [2:53]: [ Ссылка ]
Presentation 2 [34:57]: [ Ссылка ]
Presentation 3 [49:35]: [ Ссылка ]
