Progress toward poliomyelitis eradication–India, 2003

Since the World Health Assembly resolved in May 1988 to eradicate poliomyelitis, the estimated global incidence of polio has decreased >99%, and three World Health Organization (WHO) regions (Americas, Western Pacific, and European) have been certified as polio-free. Since 1994, when the countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region (SEAR) began accelerating polio-eradication activities, substantial progress toward that goal has been made. By 2001, poliovirus circulation in India had been limited primarily to the two northern states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with 268 cases reported nationwide. However, a major resurgence of polio occurred during 2002, with 1,600 cases detected nationwide, of which 1,363 (85%) were in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. This report summarizes the status of polio eradication activities in India during 2003 and describes the actions being taken to reduce poliovirus transmission.