Saima Wazed Celebrates a Decade of Polio-Free South-East Asia on World Polio Day
On World Polio Day, Saima Wazed, the World Health Organisation’s Regional Director for South-East Asia, praised the region for maintaining a decade of polio-free status. The region was declared free of wild polioviruses on March 27, 2014, with the last case reported in January 2011. This achievement highlights the dedication of health workers, governments, and partners in the region.
Wazed emphasized the need for continued vigilance, as polio remains a global threat. She urged countries to maintain high immunization rates, strong surveillance, and rapid response systems. She also stressed the importance of containing polio virus materials according to global guidelines.
Despite the success, Wazed noted that some countries still have sub-optimal vaccine coverage. She called for ongoing collaboration to ensure resources are available to maintain polio-free status. Her message was clear: continued efforts are crucial to protect future generations and move closer to eradicating polio worldwide.
World Polio Day, established by Rotary International, is observed on October 24, the birthday of Jonas Salk, who developed the first polio vaccine.
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Saima Wazed -: Saima Wazed is a leader working with the World Health Organization (WHO) for the South-East Asia region. She helps make sure that diseases like polio are kept under control.
Polio -: Polio is a disease that can make people very sick and can even cause paralysis. It mostly affects children, but thanks to vaccines, it can be prevented.
WHO -: WHO stands for the World Health Organization. It is a global group that works to keep people healthy and fight diseases all over the world.
Polio-Free -: Being polio-free means that there are no new cases of polio in a region. This is a big achievement because it means the disease is under control.
World Polio Day -: World Polio Day is a special day on October 24th to remember the fight against polio and honor Jonas Salk, who made the first polio vaccine.
Jonas Salk -: Jonas Salk was a scientist who created the first vaccine to prevent polio. His work has helped save many lives.
Immunization -: Immunization is when people get vaccines to protect them from diseases. It helps keep everyone healthy by preventing the spread of illnesses like polio.
Surveillance -: Surveillance in health means watching and checking for diseases to make sure they don’t spread. It’s like keeping an eye on things to catch any problems early.