Follow-up on selected resolutions/decisions of the last three years: challenges in polio eradication

Abstract

Despite major challenges, the polio eradication efforts in India successfully eliminated subtype-P1 polio cases from western Uttar Pradesh (‎UP)‎ and also recorded the lowest number of P1 cases due to sustained efforts with the use of mop-ups in successive rounds of supplemental immunization in the two endemic states, i.e Bihar and UP. However, this strategy also led to lowering of population immunity in UP and Bihar against the type 3 polio virus that had led to a P3 outbreak in 2007. Fortunately, with the use of monovalenttype 3 vaccine (‎mOPV3)‎ in the last few months of 2007 and in early 2008, the outbreak seems to have been brought under control. Intensified efforts are under way to achieve the goal of sequential elimination of subtype P1 poliovirus in 2008, and P3 in 2009. However, appropriate rounds with sufficient size for mop-ups are essential to keep the pressure on the virus in India, particularly in UP and Bihar.In all countries, efforts to sustain high-level acute flaccid paralysis (‎AFP)‎ surveillance are crucial to ensure timely detection of any case of polio and for appropriate response when a case, either indigenous or imported, is detected. Also, to sustain the gains of polio eradication, it is critical that countries achieve and sustain high routine coverage for all antigens, particularly against poliomyelitis.The views and recommendations of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee (‎ACM)‎ on this agenda item will be submitted to the Sixty-first Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration.