In1988,theWorldHealthOrganizationlaunchedatwelve-yearcampaigntowipeoutpolio.Thirtyyearsandseveralbilliondollarsoverbudgetlater,thecampaigngrindson,vaccinatingmillionsofchildrenandhopingthateachnewyearmightseeanendtothedisease.Butsuccessremainselusive,againstasurprisinglyresilientvirus,anunexpectedlyweakvaccineandthevagariesofglobalpolitics,meetingwithindifferencefromgovernmentsandpopulationsalike.Howdidaninnocuouscampaigntoridtheworldofacripplingdiseasebecomeahostageofgeopolitics?Whydoparentsrefusetovaccinatetheirchildrenagainstpolio?Andwhyhavepoorlypaiddoor-to-doorhealthworkersbeenassassinated?ThomasAbrahamreportsonthegroundinsearchofanswers.
