Maintaining Polio-Free Certification in the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region for Over a Decade

Abstract

On 29 October 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific certified the WHO Western Pacific Region as free of indigenous wild poliovirus. This status has been maintained to date: wild poliovirus importations into Singapore (in 2006) and Australia (in 2007) did not lead to secondary cases, and an outbreak in China (in 2011) was rapidly controlled. Circulation of vaccine derived polioviruses in Cambodia, China and the Philippines was quickly interrupted. A robust acute flaccid paralysis surveillance system, including a multitiered polio laboratory network, has been maintained, forming the platform for integrating measles, neonatal tetanus, and other vaccine-preventable disease surveillance and their respective control goals. While polio elimination remains one of the most important achievements in public health in the Western Pacific Region, extended delays in global eradication have, however, led to shifting and competing public health priorities among member states and partners and have made the region increasingly vulnerable.

Codification of Islamic Republic of Iran's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Native Reaction Protocol to Suspected Ebola Patients based on World Protocols

“…Transmission of equipment consists one ambulance, preferably type A, personal protective equipment's, medicines and medical equipment that will be used depending on the patients' illness and no equipment and extra drugs should not be carried to the mission [10].…”

“…Inhibition of patients' body fluids is carried out through wound dressing, using surgical mask if the patient can tolerate, using a waterproof cover to cover the patient, collecting the spilled fluid around by placing an absorbent cloth on it, using 10% sodium hypochlorite solution for 10 minutes, collecting the secretion and putting it in the bag Category A for infectious waste [10].…”

“…The important thing is that advanced life support measures in these patients are only limited to oral and sublingual administration (For example, anti-vomiting drugs). Creating intravenous open line is done only for those who have signs of shock, or transfer them to the hospital for more than 20 minutes [10].…”

Development and introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccines derived from Sabin strains in Japan

“…In view of the extensive surveillance and highly qualified laboratory diagnosis activities in Japan, the National Committee for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication of Japan reported a polio-free status (no indigenous transmission of wild poliovirus and VDPV) in Japan and the Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication in the Western Pacific Region declared polio-free in the region, including Japan, in November 2000 [26][27][28].…”

“…The last polio case due to indigenous type 1 wild poliovirus in the WHO Western Pacific Region was identified in Cambodia in 1997 [26,102]. In that same year, a large outbreak of hand, foot, and mouth disease, including cases with fatal neurological diseases, primarily due to another neurovirulent enterovirus, enterovirus 71 (EV71), was reported in Malaysia.…”