Progress towards global polio eradication.

In the 12 years since the global polio eradication goal was set in 1988, the eradication initiative has reached every polio-endemic country. Mass immunization campaigns have reached as many as 450 million children per year and 134 million children in a single day. The number of reported cases has declined from 35,251 to 7088 cases during that time span. Because surveillance has improved the decline in cases occurring is significantly greater. Wild poliovirus transmission is now confined to South Asia and West and Central Africa and the Horn of Africa. Although significant obstacles remain, it appears likely that polio will be eradicated world-wide by the end of the year 2002.