The Pan American Health Organization is urging countries of the Americas to redouble efforts to vaccinate children against polio to avoid a resurgence of the highly-contagious disease that was eradicated from the continent in 1994.

Last year, Brazil, considered a champion of immunization, saw vaccination rates hit their lowest levels in almost a decade.

One polio survivor, Eliana Gonçalves, is a living reminder of what the crippling disease can cause and has become a vaccine advocate against all odds.

She spoke to CGTN about what that was like.  

Health organization urges increased polio vaccinations in the Americas

The Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO, is urging countries in the Americas to redouble efforts to vaccinate children against polio, or poliomyelitis, to avoid a comeback of the highly contagious disease eradicated from the continent in 1994.

Last year, vaccination rates in Brazil, considered Latin America’s immunization champion, hit the lowest level in nearly a decade.

Lucrecia Franco reports from Rio de Janeiro.

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