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LONDON: India may be gearing up against Ebola but a more serious threat is at hand. One of 21st century's greatest public health achievements - India wiping out polio, is now under serious threat from across its borders. The 10th meeting of the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) held in London recently has concluded that the goal of stopping global polio transmission by the end of 2014 will be missed because of the worrying transmission in Pakistan and active export of the virus to other countries. The World Health Organisation has confirmed that poliovirus from Pakistan has spread to Israel, West Bank and Gaza, and Iraq. In 2012, there were 223 cases of polio in five countries. In 2013, there were 407 cases in eight countries. IMB confirmed that it "cannot conclude that the grip on polio control is yet sufficiently strong. This is particularly because with just four months remaining until the 2014 deadline for stopping polio transmission, Pakistan has little hope of meeting this deadline, and Nigeria, with impending elections, is at real risk of losing the vital opportunity". WHO says "Pakistan's situation is particularly problematic. Its polio control programme is years behind that in the other endemic countries. As currently constituted, the structure of the Prime Minister's Polio Monitoring Cell does not allow effective action against polio. A much stronger form of management and co-ordination is required". WHO admitted that currently Pakistan appears likely to become the last polio endemic country in the world. This poses a serious threat to neighbours India which was in March 2014 declared polio free.
Read more here:
WHO says polio virus from Pak has spread to Israel, Iraq - The Times of India
Read more here:
WHO says polio virus from Pak has spread to Israel, Iraq - The Times of India