The fight is now on to eradicate polio

HEALTH officials’ attempt to vaccinate 320,000 children in Syria after a recent polio outbreak is a stark reminder that the virus remains active.

Despite ongoing mass vaccination programmes aiming to end polio once and for all, this news tells those of us working in the field what we already know – that ending polio will not be easy given how the virus can take hold if vaccination rates are low due to lack of supply, or in this case, war.

This polio outbreak in Syria is a small indication of the horrors war can inflict. It remains endemic in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, but no-one wishes to see polio gain a foothold on Europe’s doorstep.

Members of the British Polio Fellowship know of the impact polio has, with 120,000 people in the UK having Post Polio Syndrome (PPS).

To say polio is contained in these three countries would be an injustice to those now living with PPS – the unwanted legacy of polio.

Outbreaks like the one in Syria occur in under-immunised populations, where polio can mutate and adapt. We need to ensure people receive the right medical care and the government needs to support the efforts of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and recognise the severe risk this and other outbreaks potentially present.

The British Polio Fellowship can be contacted on 0800 043 1935 or visit www.britishpolio.org.uk Ted Hill MBE CEO, The British Polio Fellowship