In 1798, Edward Jenner delivered one of the greatest gifts humanity has ever received: the first vaccine for smallpox. He famously observed that milkmaids, who were commonly infected with the relatively benign cowpox, seemed to have protection from smallpox. Jenner was able to successfully demonstrate that cowpox served as an effective immunization from smallpox, changing the world forever. According to the World Health Organization smallpox is “one of the most devastating diseases known to humanity,” originating over 3000 years ago. Of those infected with the disease, 30% were killed, 65-80% were left with permanent pockmark scars, predominantly in the facial region, and 33% were left blind. Between the 1950s and 1967, the estimated number of cases of smallpox fell from 50 million to 10-15 million due to the effectiveness of vaccination. In 1967, a rigorous campaign was set into motion by the WHO to wipe out the scourge once and for all and, in 1979, smallpox became the first disease to be successfully eradicated. Since then, contrary to common belief, only one more disease has been successfully eradicated: rinderpest in 2001.
As for yellow fever, measles, mumps and whooping cough, those living in the developed world may live with the luxury of not fearing the untimely deaths or suffering of their children at the hands of such ailments, but in many parts of the world these are still very real threats. One disease on the verge of joining the ranks of smallpox and rinderpest is poliomyelitis. Mainly affecting children under the age of five, polio can cause paralysis within hours, eventually culminating in death when breathing is inhibited from paralysis. People would live out the rest of their lives in iron lungs, large machines capable of “breathing” for the afflicted person. Polio, according to the WHO, has been reduced by 99% and is limited to four countries (India, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan) since 1988 due to an intense global effort. This effort was bolstered by a new polio vaccine which specifically targeted remaining types of polio (type 2 polio was eradicated in 1999, though type 1 and 3 remain). This should not be misinterpreted as cause for apathy however, as twenty-three previous polio-free countries were briefly re-infected, including developed countries such as Russia in 2009 and 2010.
In order to finally eradicate polio in the persistent regions, major steps must be taken with strong initiative, cooperation and commitment. Some key strategies include higher rates of immunization during the first year of life, supplementary doses throughout the next four years, greater surveillance efforts, and targeted campaigns once virus transmission has been detected. Many of the remaining pockets in which polio thrives are politically charged regions, adding another dimension of difficulty for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Volunteers must go in during times of shaky metastability through co-operation with competing forces.
Aside from ending the painful deaths of young children, there are many side benefits to the eradication of polio. For instance, the aid given to impoverished families in afflicted regions helps to fight poverty and gives families a chance at productive and happy lives. Furthermore, in regions in which the Global Polio Eradication Initiative is fighting to end polio, they’re able to expand to work on other diseases including Ebola and avian flu. Systems put in place in South Asia were put to use during the aftermath of the 2006 Tsunami. Financial modelling has shown that the eradication of polio will help bring economic prosperity to affected areas.
The future for polio looks bleak; its end is in sight. Commitment, funding and volunteerism from the international community is still necessary. Polio does not kill men and women; it kills boys and girls. It kills the hopes and dreams of parents in desperate regions of the world. It is not a necessary evil and its end will be a triumph for humanity. Once this has been achieved, efforts can be redirected to attacking more potentially eradicable diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, lymphatic filariasis and cysticercosis.
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