The progress towards eradication of poliovirus globally is one of the greatest success stories of the global health community. When the Global Polio Eradication Initiative started in 1988, polio paralysed more than 1000 children worldwide every day. Since then the global incidence of wild poliovirus cases has decreased by 99.9%, with only five cases of wild poliovirus reported in 2021. At present, only two countries in the world are categorized as polio endemic – Pakistan and Afghanistan. A total of around US$ 20 billion have been spent to support polio eradication activities globally since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988. Beyond achievements related to eradication of poliovirus, significant global funding for polio eradication programmes over the last three decades has supported wider health system strengthening efforts, including immunization, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance and outbreak responses.
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