Today marks a milestone in India’s history: it is the first time a whole year has passed without a case of polio.
Many thought India would never control the spread of polio. Only a few years ago, in 2009, India reported more polio cases than anywhere else in the world. Thanks to huge efforts by UNICEF, Rotary International, the World Health Organisation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as millions of people across India – volunteers, health workers, community leaders, politicians, even some of the Indian Cricket Team – India is just a step away from being declared polio-free.
Polio is a highly infectious disease that causes irreversible paralysis and even death. While it can strike anyone, at any age, the disease mainly affects children under five. In Ireland we donʼt hear much about polio anymore; it has disappeared thanks to vaccination programs. But that’s not true in other places around the world like India, where it still has the potential to affect millions.
UNICEF has been key in the global battle against polio, spearheading efforts over the last fifteen years to immunise every child in the world, stopping transmission and making the world free from this deadly disease.
In that time, nearly five million children, who otherwise would have been paralysed are now walking and polio free. Globally the number of polio cases has decreased by over 99% – from 125 countries in 1990 to just four countries today.
But the work is not complete. Although India has been polio free for 12 months, health experts believe it is still at risk of re-infection from neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan. These countries, along with Nigeria, are the only nations in the world where the disease is still endemic.