학술논문
Lessons from the elimination of poliomyelitis in Africa
Document Type
Report
Source
Nature Reviews Immunology. December 2021, Vol. 21 Issue 12, p823, 6 p.
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
1474-1733
Abstract
Author(s): Abdulaziz Mohammed [sup.1] , Oyewale Tomori [sup.2] , John N. Nkengasong [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (2) Redeemer's University, Ede, [...]
In August 2020, Africa was declared free of poliomyelitis (polio), bringing to fruition a goal that took more than 30 years to achieve. This Perspective chronicles global, continental, national and community actions taken by diverse stakeholders that finally led to the elimination of transmission of wild poliovirus in Africa. The cascade of events started with the development of polio vaccines and the realization that polio, much like smallpox, could be eradicated. After a 1988 pledge by the World Health Assembly to eradicate polio globally, concerted and deliberate efforts were made in Africa to achieve this goal. This included the use of evidence-based approaches for the harmonization and standardization of public health strategies, using a network of polio laboratories and emergency operation centres and actively pursuing underserved populations. Innovative solutions to counter challenges such as conflict and vaccine hesitancy may be of use in future public health interventions. This Perspective chronicles the journey to the elimination of transmission of wild poliovirus in Africa, with a critical discussion of the global, continental, national and community actions that were required and the lessons learnt along the way.
In August 2020, Africa was declared free of poliomyelitis (polio), bringing to fruition a goal that took more than 30 years to achieve. This Perspective chronicles global, continental, national and community actions taken by diverse stakeholders that finally led to the elimination of transmission of wild poliovirus in Africa. The cascade of events started with the development of polio vaccines and the realization that polio, much like smallpox, could be eradicated. After a 1988 pledge by the World Health Assembly to eradicate polio globally, concerted and deliberate efforts were made in Africa to achieve this goal. This included the use of evidence-based approaches for the harmonization and standardization of public health strategies, using a network of polio laboratories and emergency operation centres and actively pursuing underserved populations. Innovative solutions to counter challenges such as conflict and vaccine hesitancy may be of use in future public health interventions. This Perspective chronicles the journey to the elimination of transmission of wild poliovirus in Africa, with a critical discussion of the global, continental, national and community actions that were required and the lessons learnt along the way.