Polio - The Late Effects Reality

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The existence of the Late Effects of Polio (LEP) [also sometimes referred to as Post Polio Syndrome (PPS)] is recognised as a medical fact (Ahlstrom et al, 1993, Falconer, 1999, Hardiman, 1999). However, it is only now that the true consequences in human terms are being recognised. Those who presented many years ago with paralytic Polio are finding their lives becoming increasingly more difficult due to the long-term effects of that incident. The survivors, for that is how they classify themselves, thought they had fought and won the major battle only to find that there is always more than one battle to be won in a war. The trouble is that many are ill-equipped to fight the next battle after such a long number of years since they were called to arms the first time.

Added to that, Irish society in general believes that Poliomyelitis has gone away rather than just being held at bay through effective vaccination programmes – although in itself the vaccination has been proved on rare occasions to cause the disease itself. In this way, the needs of an ageing post-paralytic Polio population have been ignored or at best forgotten.

The results of this survey clearly demonstrate through analysis and comment garnered from around 50% of the Post Polio Support Group membership (2002) that there is increasing hardship in medical, physical and socio-economic terms. These issues have to be addressed as a matter of urgency if what may be seen now as a problem, is not to become a crisis amongst a potential of perhaps in excess of 3000 members of Irish society.

The most pressing need is for Poliomyelitis to be recognised as a long-term neurological disease, just like Multiple Sclerosis and Muscular Dystrophy. The fact that it has a plateau phase lasting in some cases decades is irrelevant. A reaffirmation by Government of a statement made by an Officer of the Department of Health (meeting Post Polio Support Group/DoH 10 June 1997) that LEP stems from post paralytic Polio is essential, as is the need for recognition of the cost of disability and assistance with that cost.

A modern human and humane society by its very definition has to look after the most vulnerable members of that society. These are the very young, the old and those who through no fault of their own have been visited by affliction, disease or accident. Surely, some € 5,500 per person over the next 5 years is not too high a price for society to give quality of life to those with LEP?

Due to vaccination, better sanitation and hygiene education in Ireland, the Polio Survivor and those with LEP are a "dying breed". Let us ensure that the "demise" of the Polio generations in Ireland is made as comfortable and dignified as possible and make the ending happier than the beginning.