Connect with us

Health

Africa: How eradicating polio in Africa has brought a positive spin-off to public health

Africa: How eradicating polio in Africa has brought a positive spin-off to public health

 


Polio It is a highly infectious disease. It is caused by a virus that enters the body through the mouth. The virus then propagates in the intestines, attacking the central nervous system and causing paralysis.

Polio was one of the most horrific diseases in the world in the 20th century. Forty years ago, an estimated 350,000 people were paralyzed by poliovirus each year. Over 125 countries.. As a result, the 1988 World Health Assembly adopted a resolution to eradicate polio globally, inspired by the eradication of polio. smallpox..

Global program Eradicate polio Many actors are at the forefront. These include national governments, the World Health Organization (WHO), multiple development agencies, and healthcare professionals.

The· strategy Includes extensive vaccination as part of regular medical services and mass vaccination campaigns. Sensitive monitoring is also important for detecting and responding to polio cases.

This initiative has been very successful. The number of people paralyzed by polio decreased by 99.9% from 350,000 in 1988 to 175 in 2019. During the same period, the number of polio endemic countries fell from more than 125 to only two, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The country where polio is widespread is endemic.

The latest WHO region certified to be polio-free is Africa.The area was certified by August 25, 2020.. Certification was made four years after the last case of poliovirus on the continent.

The African polio eradication program has directly combated serious debilitating illnesses.But it also provided a platform for Broader medical services on the continent.. Polio eradication has created new demand for innovative ways to provide vaccination and healthcare services.

What do you need to eradicate the disease?

Eradication of the disease requires a combination of multiple biological and non-biological factors. Only smallpox has been eradicated so far.

Poliovirus survives in the environment for very short periods of time, and there is no storage of animals or insects that carry poliovirus. More importantly, there are vaccines that are effective against polio. Beyond these biological characteristics of polio, eradication of polio from Africa required sound leadership.

In 1996, the head of state of Africa resolved to eradicate polio from Africa. South African President Nelson Mandela then launched a campaign to “eradicate polio from Africa.” afterwards, Collaboration of society as a whole Supporting widespread polio vaccination has spread throughout Africa. These involve the government sector, the private sector, civil society, and the entire community, Polio from the continent..

Within African governments, the public services sector has crossed portfolio boundaries and worked formally and informally to achieve the common goal of eradicating polio. All these efforts led to the recognition of polio eradication from Africa 14 years later.

Certification is based on the following evidence Something has been achieved.. In the case of polio eradication, a region will only be certified if all countries in the region have shown to be free of poliovirus infection for at least three consecutive years in the presence of highly sensitive surveillance.

Poliosurveillance refers to a disease detection system that involves both community and laboratory components.

Community oversight is carried out by the general public and healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals should report all cases of children who have experienced sudden weakness in their limbs. Members of the community need to report newly paralyzed children in the community to medical services. The laboratory has identified the poliovirus that causes polio paralysis and the source of it. Without such high-quality monitoring, it is difficult to pinpoint where and how poliovirus circulates and to determine when the infection occurred. Eradicated..

Twenty years ago, Africa was approaching polio eradication.afterwards False information surfaced in northern Nigeria About the efficacy and safety of polio vaccine. Due to this false information, some people in the area rejected or postponed the polio vaccine. Vaccination coverage declined and polio was widespread in northern Nigeria and beyond. Such false information Social media..