The World Social Forum statement on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative The Second World Social Forum on Health, January 20-25, 2007, condemns the World Health Organisation's lack of transparency in acknowledging the failure of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative strategy and instead identifying a few low-income countries as scapegoats; subjecting the children of these countries to an unprecedentedly high number of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) through the pulse polio rounds with no concern for its negative impact, and using monovalent OPV, an untested vaccine, without informed consent. While the WSF on Health acknowledges the place of OPV in the overall immunisation programme as part of integrated public health services, the strategy of intensive pulse polio rounds has had a detrimental fragmenting effect on the already weak public health systems in low-income countries. We demand an independent review of the Global Polio Eradication strategy with due consideration to the relevant epidemiology and different countries' health care priorities. Medico Friend Circle (India) Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (India) People's Health Movement and World Social Forum on Health January 24, 2007 Nairobi, Kenya

PUBLISHING DETAILS Form IV (See Rule 8) Place of Publication : Forum for Medical Ethics Society, 0-18, "Bhavna", Veer Savarkar Marg, Prabhadevi Mumbai 400025. Periodicity : Quarterly Printer's name : Dr Arun Bal Nationality : Indian Address : Flat 6, Mallika, Makrand Housing Society, VS Marg, Mahim, Mumbai 400 016. Publisher's name : Dr Arun Bal Nationality : Indian Address : Flat 6, Mallika, Makrand Housing Society, SVS Marg, Mahim, Mumbai 400 016. Editor's name : Dr George Thomas Nationality : Indian Address:  114J Rostrevor Garden, Teynampet, Chennai 600 018