At that time, an estimated 350,000 new cases of polio emerged each year. Though the incidence of polio has been dropping dramatically, even in this deadline year, 10 new cases crop up daily somewhere within the 30 countries where the disease remains endemic. This tally only counts the cases triggered by infection with the virus naturally present in the environment. In addition to this so-called wild-type virus, rivers and sewage host another type--one derived from the very vaccines used to prevent polio.
accounted for almost 91% of all new polio cases (GPEI 2008 case count - 1,488 cases out of a total of 1,625 cases). Polio reservoirs in the endemic countries have been reduced to specific geographic areas and limited populations. Through the review of epidemiological data and coverage reports, experts are identifying the reasons for the continued transmission of wild polio virus in these countries and developing appropriate strategies to improve immunization coverage.

UNICEF, along with global partners and local governments, is working to overcome the remaining obstacles to eradication. Each country offers a unique set of challenges which require local solutions. These challenges include intense virus circulation in northern India, security problems in Afghanistan and northern Pakistan and a lack of quality operations in northern Nigeria. Operational challenges are highest in regions with hard to reach, mobile populations and poor security.

UNICEF contributes to the GEPI by concentrating on the processes of delivering vaccines through our Supply Division in Copenhagen, and helping country programmes develop communication strategies that are vital to local acceptance of the vaccine, and also building capacity to rapidly respond to outbreaks in re-infected countries.