History of Polio
World Polio Day is observed on October 24 every year to raise awareness for polio vaccination and eradication of polio. The World Polio Day was established by Rotary International over a decade ago to commemorate the birth of Jonas Salk who led the first team to develop a vaccine against poliomyelitis.
Theme 2020
2020 theme for World Polio Day is “Stories of Progress: Past and Present.” As per WHO use of the poliovirus vaccine and subsequent widespread use of the oral poliovirus, developed by Albert Sabin, led to the establishment of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) in 1988. As of 2013, GPEI had reduced polio worldwide by 99%.
Through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), CDC works with partners to eradicate polio and end the suffering from this devastating disease. Stopping polio in all forms will require us to be resilient, adapt, and innovate to deliver a polio-free world. CDC and polio partners are adapting polio eradication efforts to mitigate the obstacles presented by covid-19.
What is Polio?
Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal infectious disease. There is no cure, but there are safe and effective vaccines. Polio can be prevented through immunization. The Polio vaccine, given multiple times, almost always protects a child for life. The strategy to eradicate polio is, therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops, and the world is polio-free.
World Polio Day: Polio prevention & treatment
There are two types of vaccine that can prevent polio:
- Inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) given as an injection in the leg or arm, depending on the patient’s age. Only IPV has been used in the United States since 2000.
- Oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) is still used throughout much of the world.
The Polio vaccine protects children by preparing their bodies to fight the poliovirus.
The day also celebrates progress and the people, volunteers, and local health workers, who make it possible by getting their own children vaccinated. It honors the people working to reach every last child until no child’s future is threatened by the impact of this disease.
source: https://www.indiatoday.in/information/story/world-polio-day-2020-history-theme-and-all-you-need-to-know-1734679-2020-10-24