ERADICATION OF POLIOMYELITIS IN SOUTH-AFRICA

An international campaign under the leadership of the World Health org anisation is underway to eradicate polio from the world by the year 20 00. South Africa may already be free of polio. However, to ensure erad ication we need to move from a polio control programme to a polio erad ication programme. This necessitates the institution of a surveillance programme for acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and improvement of the de livery of polio vaccine. All children with AFP (including those with s uspected Guillain-Barre syndrome) should be investigated with stool cu lture to exclude polio. Primary care services need strengthening so th at oral polio vaccine coverage greater than 90% is achieved in all reg ions by all authorities. Outbreak response activities need to be devel oped. Consideration needs to be given to national immunisation days an d mopping-up activities.