The Insurmountable Frontier:

How India Eliminated Polio

Abstract

This case study evaluates India’s efforts to eliminate all poliovirus strains in the country. This was done through massive immunization campaigns that targeted specific and marginalized groups, public awareness campaigns, and an emphasis on nation-wide surveillance. Ultimately, polio was successfully eliminated in India and the country averted 1.48 billion disability-adjusted life years. The number of cases declined from 200,000 in the 1970s to 400,000 in the 1980s, and finally to zero cases in 2012. This case owes its success to political will, coordinated intersectoral collaboration, significant funding (over US$2.4 billion from multiple contributors), and persistent efforts to immunize all children.