Transcription: Introduction to Poliomyelitis and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Module 1: Introduction to Poliomyelitis and The Global Polio Eradication Initiative
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Welcome to this course on polio. It is an introduction to poliomyelitis (or polio for short) and the Global Polio
Eradication Initiative. The course is open to all who would like to learn more about polio and how we aim to
eradicate the virus worldwide, using the collective efforts of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative partnership.
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There are six modules in this course. This is Module 1, Introduction. Each of the following modules is mapped
to one learning objective.
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The learning objectives for this course are:
1. Describe the poliovirus, including transmission and clinical presentation
2. Explain the differences between the two polio vaccines and how they contribute to prevention, and
understand key polio definitions.
3. Understand the key components of the polio eradication strategy.
4. Understand the current status of polio eradication.
5. Understand the remaining challenges to polio eradication. This course will be broken down into five
modules, one for each learning objective.
Between each module there will be a short quiz to test your understanding of the topics covered. At the end of
course, if the final quiz is passed, a certificate will be available for you to download.
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Here we invite you to watch a short video from Michel Zaffran, Director of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative
at the World Health Organization.
Hello, and welcome to this training on Poliomyelitis and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. I am Michel
Zaffran, Director of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative at the World Health Organization, and on behalf of the
entire partnership, I would like to thank you for your interest in this training.
As you know, most diseases cannot be eradicated, for a number of technical or biological reasons. Polio is one
of the few disease that can be eradicated. Globally, there has so far been only one human disease that has
been eradicated, which was smallpox, back in 1980.
So what are the benefits to eradicating a disease?
Consider this: in the 20th century alone, smallpox killed more than 500 million people, all over the world. That is
more than the casualties caused by all the wars combined - including World War I and World War II. But thanks
to the global smallpox eradication effort, since 1980 not a single human being has been infected – or died –
due to smallpox. What an incredible achievement and what a perfect example of a sustainable and equitable
global public good. In fact, it is often said of Dr Edward Jenner, the small-town English country doctor, who in
1796 developed the smallpox vaccine, which was the first vaccine ever developed – that no single human being
in the history of all of mankind has saved more lives.
This is precisely what the world is attempting to achieve with polio, and it may very well be the single most
important thing all of us will ever have the privilege and honour to be involved with. But with privilege and
honour, so too comes responsibility. And our responsibility is nothing less than this: to ensure that no child
anywhere will ever again be paralysed by any poliovirus. And we are closer to achieving this goal than ever
before. But we need the unwavering commitment of every partner, every stakeholder, every donor, every
political leader, every mother and father, in order to achieve success.
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And that is why this introductory training on polio eradication is so important. In it, you will be introduced to the
basics: what is poliovirus, what is the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and how we aim to eradicate polio with
the collective efforts of the partnership. We hope you not only find this course interesting and learn something
new, but that it inspires you to join this collective effort.
Join us and together let us achieve something historic. Let us eradicate polio.
Thank you.
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