Global health leaders have commended the value of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) for broader public health emergencies. They have called for strengthened support to achieve a polio-free world. Health Ministers of the G7, meeting in Nagasaki, Japan on 13-14 May 2023, urged global support to the GPEI in their official communiqué issued at the Summit. The leaders acknowledged the contribution of the global polio eradication infrastructure and workforce towards global surveillance capacity. They recognized the relevance of the infrastructure to national pandemic preparedness and response capacity, as well as the wider global health architecture.
The G7 forum and leaders have previously supported the global effort to eradicate polio. This reiterated support is testimony to their commitment to the GPEI. It comes before next week’s World Health Assembly (WHA) where global health leaders from around the world will meet at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss global public health issues, including polio eradication.
The WHO is instrumental in the GPEI, alongside other key agencies such as UNICEF, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rotary International, and many other partners. The goal of the GPEI is to reach every last child with the polio vaccine, improve disease surveillance and response across key health programs, and strengthen routine immunization systems.
The poliovirus is highly infectious and can lead to irreversible paralysis in children. There are three strains of the virus, with wild poliovirus type 2 eradicated since 1999. There have been only two wild poliovirus cases reported globally in 2021, both from the same country. In addition, vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks are currently affecting seven countries.
The GPEI aims to fully eradicate poliovirus type 1 by 2026 and subsequently, all types of poliovirus. This will lead to a safer and healthier world. In addition, because of the extensive infrastructure and health workforce that have been developed over the years by the GPEI, the initiative has a role to play in responding to other public health emergencies.
The current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of strong public health systems and resilient infrastructure. The GPEI, in partnership with other organizations, has been instrumental in mounting the response to COVID-19. The workforce mobilization, disease surveillance, and laboratory networks that have been developed through the polio eradication campaign have facilitated a stronger response to COVID-19 and other public health emergencies.
In order to achieve its goals, the GPEI requires continuous funding and support. The G7 Health Ministers have called for continued support to the GPEI to fully leverage this vital resource for public health emergencies and to stay on track for polio eradication by 2026. The benefits of polio eradication extend well beyond stopping transmission of the virus. It has been estimated that polio eradication would result in a saving of $40-50 billion globally in healthcare costs within the next 20 years.
The G7 forum and health leaders’ support for the GPEI is crucial. It underlines the importance of global cooperation in achieving public health goals. The GPEI has made remarkable progress since its inception in 1988, with a more than 99% decrease in the number of cases globally. With continued support, the GPEI can achieve its goal of a polio-free world and contribute to a safer and healthier future for all.
