Can we stop national immunisation days before global eradication of poliomyelitis?

Abstract

Under high quality acute flaccid paralysis (AFB) surveillance, no wild polio cases have been reported anywhere in China since 1995. National immunization days (NIDs) of oral polio vaccine (OPV) have been held since 1993 and have played an important part in eliminating wild polio virus. 1 Wang K Zhang L Otten MW et al. Status of the eradication of indigenous wild poliomyelitis in the People's Republic of China. J Infect. 1997; 175: S105-S112 Crossref Google Scholar , 2 Bilous J Maher C Tangermann RH et al. The experience of countries in the western pacific region in conducting national immunization days for poliomyelitis eradication. J Infect. 1997; 175: S194-S197 Crossref Google Scholar After the initial three rounds of NIDs (in 1993–94, 1994–95, and 1995–96), SNIDs (sub-national immunization days) have been conducted in China. The number of provinces conducting the province-wide polio immunisation days has decreased from 31 in 1995–96 NIDs to 18 in 1998–99 SNIDs. 3 Chinese Ministry of HealthThe promotion and supervision of SNIDs 98/99 in China. Chinese Ministry of Health, December 1998 Google Scholar With the ever present possibility of importation of wild poliovirus, maintaining a high OPV coverage is essential until global polio eradication.