In 1988, a meeting of the World Health Assembly set a mind-boggling goal: to eradicate the ancient scourge of polio. At the time, the polio virus was endemic in 125 countries and about 350,000 people, mostly children, were paralyzed by polio each year. 24 years later, the number of polio cases worldwide had fallen by more than 99 percent, saving more than 10 million children from paralysis.
How to End a Plague
The near-eradication of polio took big public investment in vaccine. India was long considered one of the most unlikely places to eradicate polio, because of its high population density, high rates of migration, poor sanitation, and low rates of route immunization. But data-driven planning, well-trained staff, rigorous monitoring and political will made the difference.
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So did satellite technology. According to Bill Gates, whose Gates Foundation is funding the battle against polio worldwide, satellite imagery and mobile phones equipped with GPS are instrumental in the fight.
Satellite Maps and Cell Phones
The Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) creates detailed satellite maps for governments. “They found that there were villages in Nigeria that have never shown up on any map,” Gates explained. “ESRI updated the satellite maps and handed out 10,000 GPS-enabled cell phones to polio workers. They could see where the workers were in real time, and make sure they got to each of the houses.”
Space-based imaging is used to update GIS maps for field workers. Each morning, teams receive GPS-equipped phones and visit villages. At the end of the day, the phones are collected for charging, letting supervisors download tracking data and match it to the GIS system.
Winning the Final Prize
The battle is not yet won. The 2012 World Health Assembly declared the complete eradication of polio “an emergency for global public health.” But experts believe eradicating polio will generate US$40 to $50 billion in benefits. Winning that prize is a cause to which the satellite business is proud to contribute.
With a little help from our friends at Via Satellite and fellow global non-profits ESOA, GVF, WTA, SIA and CASBA, SSPI has launched a campaign to tell the human side of the satellite story. #bettersatelliteworld
