Address at the “India Celebrates Triumph over Polio” Event

在印度慶祝戰勝脊灰活動上的講話

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization

世界衛生組織總干事 陳馮富珍博士

New Delhi, India

印度 新德里

11 February 2014

2014年2月11日

His Excellency, the President of India, the honourable Prime Minister of India, honourable Minister of Health and Family Welfare, the President of Rotary International, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

印度總統閣下，尊敬的印度總理，尊敬的衛生和家庭福利部部長，國際扶輪社社長，各位尊敬的來賓，女士們，先生們：

I am most pleased to join others in celebrating India’s triumph over polio. Everyone loves a success story, especially one of this magnitude. India has now gone three consecutive years without a single case of polio.

我非常高興能夠和各位一道慶祝印度戰勝脊灰。每個人都喜歡成功的故事，特別是這次的成就規模如此巨大。印度現在已經連續三年未出現一例脊灰。

Confidence in this achievement is supported by a world-class surveillance system and a level of vigilance and preparedness ready to manage any imported case as a public health emergency.

我們對這一成就是有信心的，它得到世界級的監測系統和可以將任何輸入病例作為突發公共衛生事件管理的高水平警戒和防范工作的支持。

In fact, the surveillance system in India not only meets all international standards for high-quality performance. It surpasses them.

事實上，印度監測系統的高質量表現不僅符合所有國際標準，還高于國際標準。

After three years, we can say with certainty that the soil of this vast and densely populated country is now free of a virus that killed and crippled children for centuries.

三年過去了，我們可以確定地說，這一國土廣闊、人口密集的國家消滅了一種數百年來曾經造成兒童死亡和跛腿的病毒。

Many critics believed that this day would never come, that the polio virus was too firmly entrenched in India, that India would never be polio free. In their view, India had limited means and unlimited challenges.

許多批評人士曾認為這一天將永遠也不會到來。他們認為，脊灰病毒在印度的存在十分頑固，印度將永遠無法實現無脊灰。他們認為，印度面臨無限挑戰，而可以利用的手段卻很有限。

They could point to the country’s huge population, high birth rate, dense pockets of poverty, poor sanitation, widespread diarrhoea, difficult terrain, and resistance to vaccination among some groups.

他們可以指出，印度人口眾多、出生率高、貧困現象普遍、環境衛生差、腹瀉病廣泛、地形復雜而且有些群體還不愿意接種疫苗。

These were real and daunting challenges, but the doubters missed one decisive factor the power of India’s determination to achieve the impossible, to go from the world’s heaviest burden of polio cases to zero.

這些都是真實存在的艱巨挑戰，但懷疑論者忽略了一個決定性因素：印度下決心實現不可能實現的任務，將其在世界上最重的脊灰病例負擔減到零；而這種決心擁有巨大的力量。

Viewed against the challenges, India’s achievement is an epic success story, a proof that any country that really wants to can defeat polio.

考慮到這些挑戰，印度今天的成就具有劃時代意義。它證明任何想要擊敗脊灰的國家都可以做到。

Government ownership of the eradication initiative, at union, state, and district levels, was decisive, as were the billions of dollars poured into the effort by the government.

印度中央政府、各邦政府和地方政府對消滅脊灰行動的重視和參與以及政府投入的數十億美元資金發揮了決定性作用。

India worked together seamlessly with its international partners, including Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF, and WHO, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

印度與國際扶輪社、美國疾控中心、聯合國兒童基金會和世衛組織等國際伙伴密切合作，并得到了比爾和梅琳達蓋茨基金會的支持。

A can-do attitude was another reason for success, as witnessed by the unwavering dedication of millions of front-line workers. Vaccinators and religious leaders I thank you for your service to your own people.

數百萬一線工作人員以樂觀進取的態度和堅定不移的奉獻精神開展工作，是印度取得成功的另一原因。我感謝你們為同胞所提供的服務。

Let me illustrate the magnitude of this achievement with just a few statistics. In the 1970s, India was home to as many as 200 000 polio cases each year. Each nation-wide polio campaign involved the vaccination of nearly 170 million children by an army of 2.3 million vaccinators.

請允許我用幾個數字說明這一成就之巨大。1970年代，印度每年發生20萬例脊髓灰質炎。每次全國脊灰防治活動都涉及到為近1.7億兒童接種疫苗，需動員230萬疫苗接種人員。

The reporting of suspected polio cases relied on a network of more than 39 000 health facilities from the public, private, and non-traditional sectors.

疑似脊灰病例的報告需要依賴公共、私營和非傳統部門3.9萬余家衛生機構形成的網絡。

The need to reach every child meant that every nook and cranny of this vast country was criss-crossed by tireless polio workers. It also meant reaching every child in marginalized and migrant populations.

需要為每個兒童接種疫苗，這也就意味著不知疲倦的脊灰工作人員需要走遍這一地域廣闊國家的每個角落，還意味著需要為每個邊緣化和流動人群中的兒童接種。

India, arguably facing the toughest challenges of any polio-endemic country, met each problem with creativity and innovation. In so doing, this country pioneered key operational and technical strategies as lessons for other countries.

印度可以說是脊灰流行國中面臨挑戰最嚴峻的，但印度以創造性和創新迎接每個問題。在這個過程中，印度率先實踐了重要的業務和技術戰略，可以供其它國家參考。

India quickly took advantage of new technologies and served as a proving ground for their effectiveness. When better systems to support high-quality performance were needed, India built them. With support from the WHO country office, India built its world-class surveillance system. An efficient and reliable network of laboratories was established to support poliovirus testing and the rapid confirmation of cases.

印度迅速利用了新技術，并證明了新技術的有效性。印度建立了支持高質量績效的更好的制度。在世衛組織駐印度代表處的支持下，印度建立了世界級的監測系統。印度還建立了高效、可靠的實驗室網絡對脊灰病毒進行監測并快速確診病例。

Millions and millions of vaccinators were supervised and motivated. India also made very good use of another unique asset its Bollywood film-stars and celebrities.

千百萬疫苗接種人員目的明確，其工作受到監督。印度還充分利用了另外一個獨特資產：寶萊塢的影星和名人。

As the number of cases dwindled and the polio map began to shrink, independent monitoring of progress was introduced to provide a framework for accountability. Meticulous micro-plans were prepared to guide each and every vaccination team, on each and every day of an immunization campaign, ensuring logistical support down to the last detail.

隨著病例數減少和脊灰流行范圍收縮，開始對進展情況進行獨立監測，形成了問責框架。編寫了詳細的微型計劃在免疫接種工作的每一天指導每個疫苗接種工作隊，對后勤支持工作安排到每個細節。

Surveillance and monitoring generated high-quality data. Constant research produced the evidence for the fine-tuning of strategies, another strength of India’s polio programme.

監測和監督帶來了高質量的數據。不斷研究產生了支持策略微調的證據，這也是印度消滅脊灰規劃的優勢所在。

Research improved understanding of the dynamics of transmission in different populations and environments, the effectiveness of different vaccines, and the reasons why some children were being missed. When research determined that vaccine efficacy was compromised in children with severe diarrhoea, social mobilization, led by UNICEF and supported by other partners, was used to educate households on diarrhoea prevention.

研究增進了對不同人群和環境下的病毒傳播情況、不同疫苗的有效性和一些兒童被遺漏的原因的認識。研究確定疫苗對患有嚴重腹瀉的兒童不那么有效后，聯合國兒童基金會牽頭在其它伙伴的支持下開展社會動員，教育每個家庭預防腹瀉。

Pressure on the poliovirus increased each time a problem was uncovered and solved. In the end, it was the best of human creativity, ingenuity, determination, and perseverance that pushed the poliovirus out of India.

每當我們發現并解決一個問題，對脊灰病毒的壓力就增加一分。最終，是人類的創造性、靈活性、決心和堅持將脊灰病毒趕出了印度。

Ladies and gentlemen,

女士們，先生們，

India has shown the world that there is no such thing as impossible. This is likely the greatest lesson, and the greatest inspiration for the rest of the world.

印度向全世界表明，這世上沒有不可能。這或許是全世界應該學到的最大經驗和最大啟示。

India’s leadership in polio eradication is widely appreciated and warmly welcomed, especially among the 194 Member States of WHO. The country has shared its experiences, best practices, lessons learned, and expert staff with the remaining endemic countries.

印度在消滅脊灰方面發揮的領導作用得到廣泛贊賞和熱情歡迎，特別是在世衛組織194個會員國之間。印度也已經與其余流行國分享了自己的經驗、最佳做法、教訓和專業的工作人員。

The defeat of polio in India paves the way for certification of the entire South-East Asia region as polio-free, possibly at the end of March. When this happens, nearly 80% of the world’s population will be living in countries that are certified polio-free.

在印度擊敗脊灰為或許在3月底認證整個東南亞區域無脊灰鋪平了道路。屆時，全世界人口的近80%將生活在認證無脊灰的國家。

The polio-free status of every country remains under threat as long as poliovirus is still circulating anywhere in the world. We still have some way to go. But India provides the decisive proof that eradication is feasible, technically and operationally.

只要脊灰病毒仍然在世界上某些地方傳播，每個國家的無脊灰狀態就會受到威脅。我們還有工作要做。但印度堅定地證明了消滅脊灰在技術上和操作上是可行的。

India is fully aware of the need to safeguard its magnificent achievement. Immunization against polio remains high, and emergency preparedness and response plans are in place to respond urgently to any importations.

印度完全明白它需要維護自己的偉大成就。脊灰疫苗接種率仍然很高，突發事件防范和應對計劃已經到位，可以緊急應對任何輸入病例。

India will continue its role as a global leader as the Polio Endgame is implemented, including through the introduction of inactivated polio vaccine and the stepwise phasing out of oral polio vaccine.

在實施脊灰尾聲戰略過程中，包括推出滅活脊灰疫苗和口服脊灰疫苗分階段退出工作中，印度將繼續發揮全球領導作用。

Right now, the country is using the legacy of its polio success to intensify routine immunization, with a special emphasis on reaching underserved and marginalized populations. The elimination of measles will likely be the next permanent improvement for the health of India’s people.

現在，印度正利用其消滅脊灰成就的遺產加強常規免疫，其中特別強調為缺醫少藥和邊緣化人群提供服務。消除麻疹很可能是印度人民所享受到的下一項永久性衛生成果。

The 13 January news that India had now gone 3 years without a polio case made headlines around the world. This is a monumental achievement that fully deserves today’s celebration.

1月13日，印度已經實現三年未出現脊灰病例的新聞成了世界各地的頭條。這一里程碑式的成就完全當得起今天的盛大慶祝。

Thank you.

謝謝。

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