TASK FORCE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO CAPACITY BUILDING FOR GLOBAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMS - SINCE THE GLOBAL POLIO ERADICATION INITIATIVE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988, MORE THAN 2.5 BILLION CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IMMUNIZED AGAINST POLIO. WORLDWIDE ERADICATION EFFORTS HAVE SEEN THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES OF WILD POLIOVIRUS (WPV) DECREASE BY MORE THAN 99 PERCENT. TODAY, POLIO REMAINS ENDEMIC IN ONLY TWO COUNTRIES: AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN. THE INSIDIOUS SPREAD OF THIS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A NETWORK OF HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND APPLIED EPIDEMIOLOGY AND THE NEED AMONG MINISTRIES OF HEALTH FOR INCREASED SUPPORT DURING DISEASE OUTBREAKS AND ERADICATION CAMPAIGNS. WITH POLIO OUTBREAKS OCCURRING IN OTHER KEY FOCAL AREAS DUE TO CIRCULATING TYPE 2 VACCINE-DERIVED POLIOVIRUS (CVDPV2) IN COTE D?IVOIRE, LIBERIA, SUDAN, TAJIKISTAN AND NIGER WITH RISK OF FURTHER OUTBREAKS IN THE LAKE CH

Summary

TASK FORCE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO CAPACITY BUILDING FOR GLOBAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION PROGRAMS - SINCE THE GLOBAL POLIO ERADICATION INITIATIVE WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988, MORE THAN 2.5 BILLION CHILDREN HAVE BEEN IMMUNIZED AGAINST POLIO. WORLDWIDE ERADICATION EFFORTS HAVE SEEN THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES OF WILD POLIOVIRUS (WPV) DECREASE BY MORE THAN 99 PERCENT. TODAY, POLIO REMAINS ENDEMIC IN ONLY TWO COUNTRIES: AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN. THE INSIDIOUS SPREAD OF THIS HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS DISEASE HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING A NETWORK OF HIGHLY TRAINED PROFESSIONALS WITH EXPERTISE IN PUBLIC HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND APPLIED EPIDEMIOLOGY AND THE NEED AMONG MINISTRIES OF HEALTH FOR INCREASED SUPPORT DURING DISEASE OUTBREAKS AND ERADICATION CAMPAIGNS. WITH POLIO OUTBREAKS OCCURRING IN OTHER KEY FOCAL AREAS DUE TO CIRCULATING TYPE 2 VACCINE-DERIVED POLIOVIRUS (CVDPV2) IN COTE D?IVOIRE, LIBERIA, SUDAN, TAJIKISTAN AND NIGER WITH RISK OF FURTHER OUTBREAKS IN THE LAKE CH