Polio Eradication Initiative: Program Overview

	Source: WHO

USAID joined the global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1996 after providing more than one-half of donor support to the successful eradication program in the Americas. Since then, USAID has contributed nearly $390 million to support this massive public health initiative and continues to be a major partner in the global effort to achieve a polio-free world. In 2005, USAID-supported polio campaigns immunized more than 350 million children under age 5 in 33 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Near East¹. In USAID-assisted programs in India and Pakistan, there were 63 percent and 50 percent reductions, respectively, in confirmed polio cases. India reported only 65 cases in 2005, compared with more than an estimated 100,000 cases annually when the program first began in 1988.

2005 Review: Polio Transmission and Eradication

• Of the six countries considered endemic at the start of 2005, five (Afghanistan, India, Niger, Nigeria, and Pakistan) had reported polio cases. Egypt, the sixth, had its last paralytic case in April 2004 and last positive environmental sample in January 2005. Egypt was removed from the endemic list in January 2006.
  
  
• As of February 8, 2006, 1,906 confirmed cases of polio in 16 countries had been reported for 2005, compared with 1,255 cases in 17 countries in 2004 (see figure 12). Although there were more reported cases in 2005 than 2004, transmission levels remained low in Afghanistan, Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Nepal, and Sudan. Egypt and Niger have not confirmed an indigenous case in over a year.
  
  
• The increase in reported cases in 2005 masks the fact that 91 percent of the cases occurred in just four countries — Nigeria, Indonesia,Yemen, and Somalia. Nigeria accounted for 40 percent of cases and did not make significant improvements in the past year, although program gaps are well documented, and efforts under way to correct deficiencies.The country recently licensed monovalent type 1 vaccine, which should come into large scale use in 2006.
  
  
• Yemen and Indonesia, previously polio-free for many years, accounted for 41 percent of the world's total (25 and 15.8 percent respectively). After being polio-free for 10 years, Indonesia reported poliovirus in April and conducted several small "outbreak response" immunization rounds in response, but many were too limited to stop the spread of the virus. Toward the end of 2005, more campaigns followed by several rounds of national and subnational activities began to slow the outbreaks. For Yemen, the outbreak has essentially been controlled, but a major threat remains from population movements to and from Somalia, where all areas are infected, strong disease transmission continues, and accessing populations is extremely challenging.
  
  
• South Asia noted significant progress in 2005. Intensified eradication activities made noticeable progress in India and Pakistan, reducing their number of cases by 63 percent and 50 percent respectively. In India, elections in Bihar delayed immunization campaigns and led to increased circulation in that state. In southern Afghanistan, instability hindered immunization campaigns and access to children.
  
  
• In sub-Saharan Africa, multiple synchronized immunization campaigns targeted 100 million children under age 5 in 24 countries and nearly eliminated the virus in areas that had been reinfected in 2004. This massive effort involved hundreds of thousands of vaccinators and supervisors, strong political commitment, and intensive communications. Although Cameroon and Mali appear to be rid of the virus, success is fragile until polio is eradicated in Africa.

¹ Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Indonesia, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Togo, and Zambia

Strategy

Interventions and Achievements

Lessons Learned

Steps to Ending Poliovirus Transmission

Related Links

• Archived Polio Reports to Congress
• Issue Brief on the USAID Polio Eradication Initiative
• Polio Eradication: A Photo Documentary
• Results Framework for the USAID Polio Eradication Initiative
• USAID Partners on the Polio Eradication Campaign
• USAID's Polio Success Stories
• WHO Regional Bulletins and Newsletters