Polio was recently confirmed in Syria, a country that has been free of this disabling and potentially fatal disease since 1999. In response, health authorities in Syria and neighboring countries have launched urgent, large-scale, multi-country immunization campaigns to ensure that every child is reached with the polio vaccine.

Rotary and its partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are working together with local health authorities to activate the outbreak response.

In the wake of World Polio Day, these and other recent polio cases in previously polio-free countries serve as a stark reminder that as long as polio still exists, unimmunized children everywhere remain at risk.

Rotarians, as leaders from all continents, cultures and occupations, have been active throughout the region to raise awareness and build support in the fight to end polio.

Following confirmation of polio in Syria, health ministers of the Eastern Mediterranean declared the circulation of poliovirus in the Region an ‘emergency’ for all Member States at its Regional Committee meeting in Oman last week. It called on Pakistan to take necessary steps to ensure all children were accessed and vaccinated and requested Syria and adjoining countries to coordinate intensified mass vaccination campaigns. More on the Regional Committee meeting.

The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) is meeting this week in Geneva, Switzerland. Among other topics, the SAGE reviewed the latest global polio epidemiology, strategies for accelerating polio eradication and plans for IPV introduction.

Following reports of a cluster of 22 acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases on 17 October 2013 in the Syrian Arab Republic, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been isolated from ten of the cases under investigation. Final genetic sequencing results are pending to determine the origin of the isolated viruses. WPV had not been detected in Syria since 1999. Most of the cases are very young (aged <2 years), and were un- or under-immunized. Estimated immunization rates in Syria declined from 91% in 2010 to 68% in 2012. Even before this laboratory confirmation, health authorities in Syria and neighbouring countries had begun the planning and implementation of a comprehensive outbreak response. On 24 October, an already-planned large-scale supplementary immunization activity (SIA) was launched in Syria to vaccinate 1.6 million children against polio, measles, mumps and rubella, in both government-controlled and contested areas. Implementation of an SIA in Deir Al Zour province promptly commenced when the first ‘hot cases’ had been reported. Larger-scale outbreak response across Syria and neighbouring countries is anticipated to begin in early November, to last for at least six to eight months depending on the area and based on evolving epidemiology. Given the current situation in Syria, frequent population movements across the region and subnational immunity gaps in key areas, the risk of further international spread of WPV1 across the region is considered to be high. A surveillance alert has been issued for the region to actively search for additional potential cases. WHO’s International Travel and Health recommends that all travelers to and from polio-infected areas be fully vaccinated against polio. - See more at: http://www.polioeradication.org/tabid/488/iid/328/Default.aspx#sthash.qAJAev4h.dpuf