On World Polio Day 2020, WHO/Europe will call on countries and partners to stay vigilant in the fight against poliomyelitis (polio), a disease which once caused millions of deaths each year. Thanks to vaccination efforts and the strong leadership of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, an alliance of key partners and stakeholders, cases of wild poliovirus have been reduced by 99.9% since 1980.
Earlier this year, the WHO African Region was declared polio-free, which represents a crucial milestone in polio eradication. Only 2 remaining countries in the world have endemic circulation of wild poliovirus. In addition, 2 of the 3 types of wild poliovirus have been eradicated.
However, our fight is not over and challenges remain, including the most recent challenge of sustaining routine immunization as part of essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the WHO European Region, World Polio Day will also be utilized to commend all governments and their dedicated health and social workers for their relentless efforts to leave no child behind in providing life-saving polio vaccines. The message is clear: as long as polio exists somewhere in the world, we have to continue vaccinating everywhere.