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Twenty third meeting of the regional commission for certification of poliomyelitis eradication, emr
EMRO, 19-20 October 2010

Information Circular
Programme
Participants

Twenty first meeting of the Regional Commission for Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication
EMRO, 21-22 October 2009

13th Inter-country meeting of directors of poliovirus laboratories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Amman, Jordan, 16-28 October 2009

2009 activities

(NIDs) National Immunization Days, (SNIDs) Sub-National Immunization Days, (AFP) Acute Flaccid Paralysis

Positive environmental samples in Egypt
One wild virus type 1 was isolated from an environmental sample in Giza, Egypt on 29 September 2008. The genomic sequencing showed that the virus is related to the recent shared circulation between South Sudan and Ethiopia. In response a mop-up was conducted in Giza from 16 to 18 November 2008 covering one million under five children. In addition another mop-up was conducted in greater Cairo 25-29 January 2009.

Mrs Susanne Mubarak, the First Lady of Egypt celebrates a Polio-Free Egypt with WHO and partners.
8 March 2006
The World Health Organization declared Egypt; a polio free country in a celebration held on Wednesday 8 March 2006 under the auspices and attendance of Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, the First Lady of Egypt.  In her opening speech, Mrs Mubarak hailed the achievement as a landmark in Egypt's history and an important milestone in its own record of achievement.
Dr Hussein Gezairy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, congratulated Egypt and Mrs Mubarak on this great achievement confirming that her personal dedication and strong support were of great impact and played major role in reaching a polio-free Egypt.
All partners who contributed and made the dream come true attended the celebration.
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Ministers of Health attend emergency meeting to outline their final push to end polio in 12 months
Geneva, 15 January 2004
Recognizing that 2004 represents a one-time opportunity to eradicate polio, and with the further spread of polio into polio-free areas and countries, Ministers of Health from the six remaining
polio-endemic countries attended an emergency meeting to address plans to immediately intensify efforts to stop poliovirus transmission globally by the end of 2004.
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Organization of the Islamic Conference resolves to eradicate polio
On 20 October 2003, heads of state and representatives from the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) adopted a landmark resolution* to wipe out polio, noting the significant progress that has been made among Member States – 52 of the 57 Member States are polio-free. Five of the world’s six remaining polio-endemic countries globally are OIC members – Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, Afghanistan and Niger. “This resolution by the OIC is extremely important at this stage in the eradication effort,” said Dr Hussein A. Gezairy, Regional Director of WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf takes personal oversight of final push to eradicate polio in Pakistan
September 12, 2003 - Pakistan’s President General Pervez Musharraf announced he would take personal oversight of the final push to eradicate polio from Pakistan. President Musharraf called for maximum efforts to ensure polio is eradicated from the country at a meeting with WHO Regional Director Dr Hussein A.Gezairy, together with the Federal Secretary of Health, Mr Ejaz Rahim, the Director General of Health, Major General (R) Mohammad Aslam and Dr Khalif Bile Mohamud, WHO Representative in Pakistan.  
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Third Intercountry Meeting of National Containment Coordinators for Laboratory Containment of Wild Polioviruses and Potential Infectious Materials
Amman - Jordan, 27-28 August 2003
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Seventh Intercountry Meeting of Directors of Poliovirus Laboratories in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Amman - Jordan, 24-26 August 2003
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