Phl, SE Asia declared polio-free

MANILA, Philippines - An independent panel of 11 experts in medicine and related specialties has certified the Southeast Asia region, including the Philippines, as polio-free.

This makes 80 percent of the world’s population living in four World Health Organization (WHO) regions to be certified polio-free, the United Nations Information Center announced in a statement.

“This is a momentous victory for the millions of health workers who have worked with governments, non-governmental organizations, civil society and international partners to eradicate polio from the region,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for the WHO South-East Asia Region in the UNIC statement.

The experts, who constitute the South-East Asia Regional Certification Commission for Polio Eradication (SEA-RCCPE), met for two days to review evidence from countries before reaching the decision that all 11 countries of the region have met the requirements for certification.

To be polio free, the following conditions must be satisfied: at least three years of zero confirmed cases due to indigenous wild poliovirus; excellent laboratory-based surveillance for poliovirus; demonstrated capacity to detect, report and respond to imported cases of poliomyelitis; and assurance of safe containment of polioviruses in laboratories (introduced since 2000).

Through the effort to eradicate polio, health personnel and community workers are trained and provided with critical equipment to improve vaccination and health services for other childhood diseases. Comprehensive global laboratory and communication networks have been built and are being used for other diseases.

Most recently, these networks played a critical role in responding to avian influenza.

Certification of the region comes as countries prepare for the introduction of inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in routine immunization as part of the eventual phasing out of oral polio vaccines (OPV). More than 120 countries currently use only OPV.

These countries will introduce a dose of IPV by the end of 2015 as part of their commitment to the global polio endgame plan, which aims to ensure a polio-free world by 2018.