India winning polio fight, but final push still needed, says U.S. expert.

2003 NOV 5 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- India is close to eradicating polio but needs to make a final push, the head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said as she helped inoculate babies against the disease in New Delhi.

"Coming here to this clinic and seeing how organized they are makes me feel very confident that this can be successful," said Dr. Julie Gerberding, the CDC director, touring a community health clinic in one of the poorest neighborhoods of the Indian capital.

"We have the leadership, the support of the government and the partners, but seeing the children makes me appreciate why it's so important," said Gerberding.

The World Health Organization estimates that 99% of all new polio cases in the world are in three countries - India, Pakistan and Nigeria. India alone accounts for 83% of new cases. A reduction in polio vaccination initiatives in India last year led to a sixfold surge in disease.

"The big picture here is that we are partners with WHO, UNICEF and the Rotary International to eradicate polio in India and elsewhere in the world," said Gerberding. "Part of why we're here now is to really focus attention on how close we are to being able ...