Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Polio eradication: mobilizing and managing the human resources.

R Bruce Aylward1, Jennifer Linkins

  • 1Polio Eradication Initiative, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. aylwardb@who.int

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
|May 4, 2005
PubMed
Summary

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative mobilized millions of health workers for widespread polio vaccination and surveillance. Its success relied on adapting strategies, community engagement, and strong management, offering lessons for global health efforts.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Spatial Dynamics and High Risk Transmission Pathways of Poliovirus in Nigeria 2001-2013.

PloS one·2016
Same author

World Health Organization's Innovative Direct Disbursement Mechanism for Payment of Grassroots Immunization Personnel and Operations in Nigeria: 2004-2015.

The Journal of infectious diseases·2016
Same author

Faster Detection of Poliomyelitis Outbreaks to Support Polio Eradication.

Emerging infectious diseases·2016
Same author

Immunogenicity of a new routine vaccination schedule for global poliomyelitis prevention: an open-label, randomised controlled trial.

Lancet (London, England)·2015
Same author

A world without polio.

The Journal of infectious diseases·2014
Same author

The new polio eradication end game: rationale and supporting evidence.

The Journal of infectious diseases·2014

Area of Science:

  • Global Health
  • Public Health Policy
  • International Health Initiatives

Background:

  • The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) became the largest international health effort.
  • It operated globally from 1988 to 2004, engaging millions of health workers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the operational strategies and requirements of the GPEI.
  • To explore the implications of GPEI's approach for broader health systems and other interventions.

Main Methods:

  • The study describes the scale of GPEI operations, including supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) and surveillance.
  • It highlights the use of task simplification, technological innovation, and localized strategy adaptation.
  • Key elements included sustained political advocacy, community mobilization, and robust management.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • GPEI successfully engaged an estimated 10 million health workers and volunteers for SIAs and 35,000 for surveillance.
  • The initiative demonstrated effective vaccine delivery and progress monitoring across diverse global contexts.
  • Success factors included adapting strategies to local circumstances, overcoming infrastructure, conflict, and cultural barriers.

Conclusions:

  • The GPEI's success was driven by adaptable strategies, extensive workforce engagement, and strong support systems.
  • Lessons learned from polio eradication are crucial for replicating this model in other health interventions.
  • Further study is needed to understand the broader health system implications of such large-scale eradication programs.