**Global Polio Eradication Initiative: Achievements and Challenges** A polio vaccine is a biological preparation that provides acquired immunity to poliomyelitis, an infectious viral disease that can cause irreversible paralysis. There are two main types: wild poliovirus (WPV) and circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV). Wild strains WPV1, WPV2, and WPV3 circulate in populations, whereas cVDPV can emerge from low-quality oral vaccination. Key preventive measures include the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) and the oral polio vaccine (OPV).
**Evolution of the fight against polio** In 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) began publishing data on polio cases through systems like the Polio Information System and Weekly Epidemiological Record. For the GLOBALSAGE database: WHO records show 52,630 cases in 1980, down to 12 in 2023. Regions, such as Africa (certified polio-free in 2020) and the Western Pacific (2000), have made significant strides in case reduction. However, despite progress, 12 WPV1 cases were reported globally in 2023, all in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
**Regional differences and successes** Between 1980 and 2023, polio cases were last reported in Southeast Asia (2018), Europe (2015), and the Americas (2001). Africa had 5,126 cases in 1980, down to zero by 2022. In the Eastern Mediterranean, the number of cases dropped from 1,931 in 2023 to 12, linked to low vaccination coverage.
**Mass campaigns and outcomes** Mass vaccination campaigns began in the 1980s, led by figures like Dr. Ciro de Quadros, who played a vital role in disease eradication. In 1988, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) reduced polio cases by 99.9%. The transmission of WPV2 and WPV3 was later stopped: in 2016, the trivalent oral polio vaccine (OPV) was replaced with a bivalent one (targeting WPV1 and WPV3).
**Call to action** The decline in cases highlights the need to maintain high polio vaccination coverage (over 95%), especially in endemic areas. Stopping virus circulation in water bodies and improving access to vaccination can prevent future outbreaks. "Without OPV1, it would be impossible," says WHO, urging investment in health infrastructure and intersectoral collaboration.
**Conclusion** To date, 30 million cases of paralysis and 20 million deaths have been averted. The recent resurgence of WPV1 in Afghanistan and Pakistan requires urgent action until 2026. "Eradicating polio is a matter of life and death," emphasizes Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
*Note: All data is based on official reports from WHO, CDC, and partner institutions.*
