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This article discusses the means of communication and information deployed by the Institut Mérieux in Lyon to promote polio vaccination in France in the 1960s. As the producer of the two polio vaccines (Lépine and Sabin vaccines) used at the time, the Lyon-based institute sought to mobilize the medical and scientific community and the political world against this disease for which mandatory vaccination had just been adopted. Eventually, Institut Mérieux wanted a national information and vaccination campaign to be set up. In the end, the perception of poliomyelitis and the awareness of its seriousness and repercussions were entirely associated with its prevention through vaccination.

Polio is an acute viral disease that is still endemic in Pakistan. The polio vaccination program is facing many challenges that result in an increased number of new cases. The success of polio vaccination has been threatened in different parts of Pakistan. In the past, the immunization program was affected by different factors including insecurity, inducing mass migration and displacement, life threats to polio workers, and restricted access to the vulnerable population. Misconceptions and misunderstanding about the polio vaccine are a major obstacle in polio eradication which need to be erased by organized effects of increasing vaccine awareness.

Background: Poliomyelitis is a highly infectious disease caused by poliovirus, which becomes difficult to manage/eradicate in politically unstable areas. The objectives of this study were to determine the movement and management of such polio outbreaks in endemic countries and countries with reoccurring cases of polio and to determine the effect of political instability on polio eradication. Methods: In this study, the extent of polio outbreaks was examined and modeled using statistical methodologies and mapped with GIS software. Data on polio cases and immunization were collected for countries with polio cases for the period 2011 to 2014. Weekly data from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative were collected for selected countries. The recent virus origin and current movement was mapped using GIS. Correlations between immunization rates, the Global Peace Index (GPI), and other indicators of a country's political stability with polio outbreaks were determined. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.4 and ArcGIS 10. Results: For several reasons, Pakistan remains highly vulnerable to new incidences of polio (306 cases in 2014). Overall immunization rates showed a steady decline over time in selected countries. Countries with polio cases were shown to have high rates of infant mortality, and their GPI ranked between 2.0 and 3.3; displaced populations, level of violent crime rating, and political instability also were ranked high for several countries. Conclusion: Polio was shown to be high in areas with increased conflict and instability. Displaced populations living in hard-to-reach areas may lack access to proper vaccination and health care. Wars and conflict have also resulted in the reemergence of polio in otherwise polio-free countries.

Background: It has been more than 1 year since the last case of wild polio virus occurred in the country and we are at the final phase of polio eradication. It needs to enhance/ sustain all activities of polio eradication. This study was carried out to critically evaluate the various activities undertaken and make the suggestions for improvement during the National Immunization Day (NID) of February 2012 under Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization Program (IPPI) in urban/ rural areas of Ahmedabad, Kheda and Gandhinagar districts of Central Gujarat. Methodology: External evaluators after a training cum orientation program undertook the evaluation of NID (Feb 2012) in 3 districts of Central Gujarat in identified 20 booths through assessing booth based vaccination and undertaking surveys of house to house activities and at migratory/ transit/ street sites. Results: (a) Booth based activities: Most booths were accessible and had supply of logistics (IEC materials, stationeries, vaccines, cold chain equipments, marker pens). Understaffing and last minute replacement with untrained staff and non participation of community or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) were some of the issues. (b) House to house visits: External monitors could detect 7 missed sites with 63 unvaccinated children while the in house health supervisors could not detect any site. False P detection rates were also high for external monitors (5.3%) than in house supervisors (1.3%). (c) Migratory sites: Visit to 118 migratory sites yielded even more children as not vaccinated (16.8%). 21 transit sites showed the inadequacies of program where almost one third of children could not be checked for the vaccination. (d) Street surveys: Street surveys done after completion of NID (Based on finger markings alone) found 12.7% children as not vaccinated. Conclusions: Present communication aims to explore the problematic issues in achieving vaccination coverage, capacity building of team members and operational/ logistic aspects and provide intensive qualitative inputs.