After 25 years of eradication efforts across the world, now there is a high possibility that a polio-free world may be declared in 2018. Every nation and the dedicated individuals including the scientists deserve huge acclamation, with whose effort the numbers of polio cases have been reduced to 99 percent, from 350,000 in 1988 to 223 in 2012.
As per reports, launching the Scientific Declaration on polio Eradication, the governments, international organizations and philanthropic individuals have been requested to gather a fund of around 5.5 billion dollars in order to eradicate left behind polio cases to completely end transmission of the disease by 2014.
More than 400 eminent scientists from 80 countries are working hard to eliminate the disease. They have anticipated that if more efforts will be put, a complete polio-free world can be achieved by 2018. Despite security threats and doubts about funding, the scientists have hoped to attain the goal. But it should also be noticed that the global eradication effort has already missed four deadlines for complete elimination of the disease.
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Polio is a communicable viral disease that once paralyzed and killed millions around the world. It affects the nerves and leads to partial or permanent paralysis. There is no cure for the disease, though vaccination can prevent the disease for life.
So far, there are just three countries remaining where the disease is still endemic, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nigeria.
However, with India’s victory to be polio-free for (last) two years, we can hope that the aware country can now take up the other diseases too.