Why eradicate poliomyelitis?
(costs and benefits). Why is poliomyelitis eradication technically feasible? (biological determinants of eradicability). Why is poliomyelitis eradication operationally feasible? (societal and political considerations). This article begins by outlining the current status of the eradication initiative and closes with a summary of the major challenges now and in the post-poliomyelitis eradication era. Current status of the poliomyelitis eradication initiative The goal of eradicating poliomyelitis by the end of the year 2000 was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1988 (4). Since then, poliovirus has disappeared rapidly from large areas of the world. At the same time, the capacity to control other important diseases has improved worldwide. The number of poliomyelitis cases has fallen by over 95% around the world, from an estimated 350 000 in 1988 to an estimated maximum of 20 000 in 1999, with the elimination of wild poliovirus from three of the five continents where it was endemic at
