The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly shaken and overwhelmed the world enough to have forgotten the existence of other viruses that turned into plagues and epidemics in humankind’s history. Poliovirus is one such virus affecting humanity since the time of Egyptian civilizations dating back to 1400 BCE. In the early 1900s, polio epidemics erupted in coun- tries with relatively high living standards, at a period when other diseases like diphtheria, typhoid, and tuberculosis were on the decline. Indeed, many scientists believe that advances in cleanliness have increased in polio cases. Infants were thought to have been exposed to polio at an early age. Polluted water supplies were primary sources of infection carriers. Infants’ immune systems could quickly combat poliovirus and establish long-term immunity to it, thanks to maternal antibodies still circulating in their blood. Albert Sabin invented the Oral Polio Vaccine in 1961, which was a different type of polio vaccine (OPV). It was easier to administer this vaccine to large groups of people. A multifaceted strategy was created, and widespread distribution began. Polio eradication is one of the most arduous global health efforts in history, and it will be the second only human disease ever eradicated. However, since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a dramatic reduction in child- hood vaccinations. In 2020, over 23 million children skipped their routine vaccinations, an increase of 3.7 million from 2019.
Polio is a fatal disease produced by a highly contagious virus that exclusively affects humans. Paralysis is the most severe symptom, and if the virus affects the muscles that let people breathe, it can result in permanent disability or death. Post-polio syndrome can cause new muscle discomfort, weakness, or paralysis in adults, even if they had polio as a child and seemed to recover completely.
Jonas Salk invented the first polio vaccine. The vaccine was an injection-based inactivated poliovirus vaccina- tion that was exceedingly safe and effective. Disposable syringes were uncommon at the time, and immunization was delayed.
Since 1988, the number of children infected with polio has decreased by 99 percent, from 350,000 cases in 125 countries to fewer than two cases in Afghanistan and Pakistan today. Nigeria, the world’s third-largest polio-en- demic country, was declared polio-free in 2020, along with the rest of Africa.
The fact that most of these children have not had a single dose of immunization and that many come from underserved communities, conflict zones, and remote locations with limited access to health care are particularly troubling. The diversion of resources due to a heavy focus on COVID-19 is one of the main reasons for this surge. The elimination of polio has been impeded by a lack of public awareness and vaccination apprehension. At the same time, the epidemic raised public awareness of vacci- nation and its benefits to public health. The rapid intro- duction of WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccinations has severely decreased mortality and morbidity in vaccinated populations.
The world is in the final stage of polio eradication. Nevertheless, pervasive challenges make this stage the most difficult yet. We must come together and rally behind the new Polio Eradication Strategy 2022-26 of the World Health Organisation to get the eradication project back on
track. With a concerted effort and solid global partnership, the global health community can put the polio eradication initiative on the right track.
10 Jan 2022
Somalika Chhabra
