WHO Europe reported on efforts to improve cross-regional collaboration in protecting polio-free areas through a meeting held 21 to 22 July 2011 in Urumqi, Xinjiang, China, involving more than 40 international public health specialists, senior officials and experts engaged in the field of polio eradication. The two-day workshop was co-hosted by WHO and the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, with experts from China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Pakistan, Nepal, Tajikistan, the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan, as well as WHO headquarters, the WHO European Region, South East Asia Region, Western Pacific Region and WHO partner agencies. Meeting participants summarized five major lessons learned in 2010:
– Importations occur all the time and will continue until polio eradication is achieved.
– The most vulnerable populations will be affected the most. Reported immunization coverage may not always represent true childhood population immunity. Even when accurate, subnational variation is what matters most, i.e. “the weakest link”.
– Rapid response is vital; delays mean any outbreak could be catastrophic in size and fatal. It requires sensitive surveillance at all critical subnational levels. Every step in acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance needs to be timely. Early notification of suspicion is best.
– Response to threat requires full political support. Cross-border coordination and cooperation is critical.
– Outbreaks are much less expensive to prevent than to control and interrupt. Risk assessment should be undertaken by countries and provinces and should lead to risk reduction. Funding prevention requires local mobilization.
vaccines and global health :: ethics and policy 