National poliomyelitis immunization days--People's Republic of China, 1993

In 1988, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the goal of global eradication of poliomyelitis by the year 2000. Based on cases officially reported to WHO, progress toward eradication has been substantial: in 1992, a total of 15,445 paralytic poliomyelitis cases were reported worldwide, compared with 32,419 cases in 1988. Beginning in December 1993, the People's Republic of China will conduct a series of two National Immunization Days that target approximately 100 million children (all children aged < 4 years) to receive oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) in each of two separate rounds of vaccination, possibly representing the largest public health event of its kind in history. This report summarizes the plans for National Immunization Days and efforts in China to eradicate poliomyelitis by 1995.