When the world finally stamps out polio, what is the next step?
The immediate next step will be to certify this achievement and then eventually to stop the use of oral polio vaccine globally. However, the GPEI’s ultimate legacy will be its infrastructure and capacity which can be built on to strengthen immunization systems, disease surveillance and outbreak response activities for both vaccine-preventable and other diseases. Is there anything else you would like to add? The real heroes of polio eradication are the polio-affected countries themselves and the millions of individual volunteers around the world, most notably Rotarians. Countries have remained politically committed and continue to allocate their scarce resources for a global public good, while Rotarians have kept the flame alive over 20 long years with their dedication – they have raised nearly US$ 1 billion and motivated public and private donors to give more. In doing so, they have helped establish a model for all private-public partnerships. I would also like to add a strong note of