Eradicating polio in Africa - is it achievable?

[RomanGoddess]

As you read this article, you really do have to wonder whether the money would not be better spent on clean water, better sanitation, vitamin supplements, maybe even a malaria vaccine....

Gates calls for final push to eradicate polio

[Otto]

I suppose this depends (not just Africa, which is down to only Nigeria as an endemic reservoir) on whether one thinks the four remaining endemic countries are intractable. Pakistan strikes me as the toughest customer in this regard.

[cappuccinosmom]

I was interested to find out that my husband's home country had 4 straight years of no reported cases recently.  That record was broken by only a few cases, which may have originated across the border in Sudan.

The country is certainly not up to Western levels of access to vitamins, nutrition, and hygenic living conditions.  But they have been vaccinating heavily.

I think it can be eradicated.  They're not researching new vaccines, but using what's available.

Frankly, there are many things in Africa where money is spent that could be better spent elsewhere.  Plenty of misuses going on that the money could be taken from, without taking it from ongoing health campains.

[no5no5]

They already spend a lot of money keeping polio under control.  If they can eradicate it, that would free up all that money to address other needs.  I think it's worth a shot, personally.  And if Bill Gates wants to spend his money on that, I'm sure not going to discourage him.