Progress toward global eradication of poliomyelitis, 2002

Since the 1988 World Health Assembly resolution to eradicate poliomyelitis globally through 2002, the number of countries where polio is endemic declined from 125 to seven, and the estimated incidence of polio decreased >99%. In 2002, the European Region became the third World Health Organization (WHO) region certified as polio-free, joining the Region of the Americas and the Western Pacific Region, certified polio-free in 1994 and 2000, respectively. Despite these achievements, a provisional total of 1,920 polio cases were reported during 2002, a substantial increase from 483 in 2001, reflecting primarily the large polio epidemic in India. This report summarizes global progress achieved in polio eradication during 2002 and describes remaining challenges.