In 1988, the World Health Assembly resolved to eradicate poliomyelitis. Sbsequently, the global Polio Eradication Initiative reduced the worldwide incidence of polio associated with wild polioviruses (WPV) from an estimated 350 000 cases in 1988 to 1997 cases in 2006; it also reduced the number of countries that have never succeeded in interrupting WPV transmission from >125 to 4 (Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Pakistan). For more information click here.