SCALE RE-EMERGENCE OF THE DISEASE. "THE REMAINING DISEASE POCKETS ARE REPRESENTING A REAL THREAT TO ALL THAT HAS BEEN DONE SO FAR" IN THE NEARLY 20-YEAR STRUGGLE TO RID THE WORLD OF POLIO, SUDAN SAID IN ITS REMARKS, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. AUSTRIA, ADDRESSING THE GROUP ON BEHALF OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, SAID ACCELERATING NORTHERN NIGERIAN POLIO WAS "CAUSING A SIGNIFICANT RISK FOR NEW AND FURTHER INTERNATIONAL SPREAD." BRITAIN SAID THE OUTBREAK WAS "THE GREATEST CHALLENGE FACING THE (ERADICATION) INITIATIVE". CANADA CALLED IT "TROUBLING" AND THE UNITED STATES SAID NIGERIA'S NEIGHBOURS NEEDED "THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF IMMUNISATION COVERAGE" TO REDUCE INFECTION RISKS. NIGERIAN HEALTH MINISTER EYITAYO LAMBO TOLD THE MEETING THAT HIS GOVERNMENT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT POLIO IN THE COUNTRY'S NORTHERN REGION, AND ACKNOWLEDGED AN "URGENT NEED" TO STOP IT. HE SAID A NEW METHOD OF DISTRIBUTING POLIO VACCINES, WHERE THE DRUGS ARE PROVIDED AT A SITE ALSO OFFERING OTHER SERVICES -- KNOWN AS "IMMUNISATION PLUS" -- SHOULD PROTECT MORE CHILDREN. "WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE IMMUNISATION PLUS STRATEGY WILL REACH MORE CHILDREN AND THEREBY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE REDUCTION OF THE WILD POLIO VIRUS TRANSMISSION," LAMBO SAID. THE WHO FAILED TO REACH ITS TARGET OF HALTING THE SPREAD OF POLIO BY THE END OF 2005. SOUTH AFRICA SAID AT WEDNESDAY'S SESSION THAT A NEW GOALPOST MAY BE NEEDED TO RALLY SUPPORT.
