The World Health Organization (WHO) has today announced that India and Southeast Asia are free of polio, with the viral disease finally eradicated in the region after a multi-billion dollar campaign.
It's been three years since the country has witnessed any cases of poliomyelitis, a highly infectious virus that typically manifests as muscular weakness, atrophy and flaccid paralysis. Though around 90 percent of cases do not present with symptoms, those struck with the disease are forced to endure it for a lifetime, as no cure has been found.
However, vaccinations and prevention have been key to eradicating the disease, with India the latest in a long line of countries to experience this vital public health triumph. The WHO's guidelines state that three consecutive years without any fresh incidences of the disease means a country can be formally declared as free of polio.
"This ceremony ... marks one of the biggest public health achievements," said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the WHO's Southeast Asia director. "It is a day that all countries fought hard for, and a day when all stakeholders come together to celebrate the victory of mankind over a dreaded disease that, for centuries, has killed and disabled legions."
Just three countries continue to host the endemic virus - Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Broken healthcare networks, hostile civil conflicts and a lack of widespread basic hygiene are all thought to be obstacles to eradicating the disease, which has been a priority of the WHO since 1988.
That India is now polio-free is a particular victory for the WHO, with the subcontinent proving to be a hotbed of polio cases over the years - averaging 50,000 cases at one point. The eradication campaign involved mobilizing millions of doctors and community health workers to go from door to door and reach the most remote parts of the country - often by foot or motorcycle.
More than 170 million children now receive inoculations each year, with the Indian government pouring some $3 billion into the project since 1995. The effort has paid off, with numbers dropping rapidly - from 741 cases in 2009 to 42 in 2010 and 1 in 2011.
