On September 7, 1993, the Pan American Health Organization
(PAHO) announced that 2 years have elapsed since the occurrence of
the last case of poliomyelitis associated with wild poliovirus
isolation in the Americas (Peru, August 1991). This achievement is
a milestone in the global eradication of poliomyelitis. The only
infectious disease ever eradicated previously is smallpox, the last
case of which was reported during August 1977 in Somalia.
PAHO has established an International Certification Commission
on Polio Eradication (ICCPE) to independently verify whether
transmission of wild poliovirus has been interrupted in the
Americas. Before the Region of the Americas can be certified as
polio-free, vaccination coverage with oral poliovirus vaccine must
be kept at high levels, surveillance must be intensified (to comply
with a series of specific indicators recommended by the ICCPE), and
3 years must elapse without any confirmed polio cases. This
achievement is actively supported by each country in the Western
Hemisphere and the many organizations collaborating closely with
PAHO, including Rotary International, the U.S. Agency for
International Development, the United Nations Children's Fund, the
Inter-American Development Bank, and the Canadian Public Health
Association.
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