History of polio
A timeline of our attempts to eradicate the devastating polio virus.
By Leesa Hamilton
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1580–1350 BC
An Egyptian tablet portrays a priest with a withered leg, suggesting polio.
1840
German doctor Jacob von Heine investigates polio and suggests the disease may be contagious.
1894
An outbreak of infantile paralysis – subsequently identified as polio – sweeps the US.
1916
A New York polio epidemic receives worldwide attention, thus accelerating research into how the disease is spread.
1948
Thomas Weller and Frederick Robbins grow poliovirus in live cells, work for which they later receive a Nobel Prize.
1955
Dr Jonas Salk develops the first vaccine against polio – an injectable, inactivated (killed) polio vaccine.
1961
A “live” oral vaccine against polio is developed by Dr Albert Sabin. It rapidly becomes the vaccine of choice.
1985
Rotary International pledges $US120 million to its fund, PolioPlus.
1988
The World Health Assembly launches the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
1994
WHO certifies the Americas polio-free.
1996
420 million African children are vaccinated during National Immunisation Days.
August 17-20, 1999
Warring factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo agree to a three-day ceasefire to accommodate for national immunisation.
Around 80% of the country’s ten million children receive the vaccine.
2000
The Western Pacific is certified polio-free. A record 550 million children receive the oral polio vaccine.
2002
Europe is certified polio-free.
2007
On the International Day of Peace (September 21), 1.4 million children are vaccinated in Afghanistan.
2008
Polio eradication becomes the World Health Organisation’s “top operational priority”.
October 2011
The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting takes place in Perth and polio is tabled as a priority.
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