The European Parliament recently passed three new amendments designed to increase funding in the E.U. for polio elimination.
This move shows that the European Parliament is upholding its commitment with the polio elimination program, in accordance with a written declaration signed this year. More than 400 members of parliament signed the declaration during an important time when the health community made new initiatives to further recent milestones in eliminating polio.
Europe has never before been so close to eliminating polio. On Aug. 11, the E.U. celebrated one year without a new wild polio case in Africa. This is the first time this has happened. In addition, Nigeria was officially removed from the list of countries that qualify as polio endemic.
Despite this encouraging news, the health community maintains that there is still much important work that needs to be done. The virus is still at large in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and two more years are required for Nigeria to be declared entirely free of polio.
The ongoing work shows it is crucial for the medical industry to capitalize on the most recent milestones and encourage the public to create a world free of polio. The donor community needs to show its ongoing support as leaders continue working toward polio elimination.
