Description:
1- Case study: The poliomyelitis endgame
The Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategy (2013-18) included the goal of achieving
global eradication of wild-type poliomyelitis virus transmission by 2014 and a polio-
free world by 2018- When a pathogen is eradicated, control measu’es including
vaccination can cease, such as with smallpox eradication- In 2004, the Advisory
Committee on Poliomyelitis Eradication (ACPE) (Geneva, 21 -22 September 2004)
stated “After eradication of wild poliovirus, continued use of oral polio vaccine (OF’V)
would compromise the goal of a polio-free world“- Worldwide, the majority of national
immunisation programs use oral polio vaccine (OF’V)- In May 2016, countries still using
OF’V switched from trivalent OF’V to bivalent OF’V in a globally co-ordinated approach-
A number of countries have commenced a combined IF’V/OF’V schedule- Most
developed countries, such as Australia, only include inactivated polio virus (IF’V) in
their program-
Outline why the move to using IF’V is a necessary step in the global poliovirus
eradication program-
Describe one challenge that complicates the WHO polio eradication program- What
strategies have the WHO planned or are cu’rently undertaking to tackle that
challenge? [You may focus on one country to answer this question, if preferred]