Commemorating
the 30th anniversary of smallpox eradication
Dr
Margaret Chan
Dire=
ctor-General
of the World Health Organization
Dr Mahler, Dr Henderson, Mr
Roy, colleagues in public health, ladies and gentlemen, It is a great honour to
welcome this statue to such a prominent place on the WHO grounds. It will
remind staff and visitors alike of a truly remarkable success story with
permanent gains for health in every corner of the world. I am likewise honoured=
by
the presence of people who played such a key role in this success story, Dr
Mahler, Dr Henderson, and many others. Leadership at WHO was important, but an achievemen=
t of
this scale ultimately depended on tens of thousands of dedicated workers who
literally crisscrossed this entire earth, by jeep, donkey, and fishing boat=
s,
on foot in jungle and desert journeys, from nomadic tribes in remote mounta=
in
areas to pavement dwellers in the scorching heat of Asia’s slums. When the intensified eradication programme
was launched, no one knew exactly what needed to be done, how progress would
evolve, or even if the initiative would succeed. And there were indeed many
near misses and setbacks. The history of smallpox and its eradication has be=
en
written, and public health continues to benefit from the many lessons learn=
ed.
Success has been attributed to a strong research component, an emphasis on
epidemiology and surveillance, and the flexibility to adapt to new findings=
and
change course when needed. The strategy of ring vaccination emerged and was
validated, vastly simplifying operational and logistic demands. The bifurca=
ted
needle was invented, and some like to argue that the war against smallpox w=
as
eventually won by a modified sewing needle. Smallpox fighters had to contend with war zones, v=
ast
population displacements, religious and cultural beliefs, fetishes, and
traditional healers with their tin boxes of smallpox scabs. And yet despite the incredible odds, one of
history’s longest chains of virus transmission, dating back at least =
3,000
years, was broken in a small harbour on the Ind=
ian
Ocean more than 30 years ago. By definition, the eradication of a disease requir=
es
cooperation from every single country in the world. The history of smallpox
eradication is also a story about the quiet collaboration of the two
superpowers during some of the hottest years of the Cold War. This statue stands as a reminder of the significan=
ce
of such an achievement, and of how resources available to WHO can be vastly
magnified when the entire world unites behind a humanitarian cause. It commemorates a time of great idealism that
attracted talent and inspired commitment and personal sacrifice. Above all,=
it
stands as a reminder of the power of international health cooperation to do
great and lasting good. Thank
you.