Final answer:
Critics of polio eradication efforts may argue that resources could be better allocated to more prevalent health issues and cite difficulties in eradication due to military conflict and political instability in remaining polio-endemic countries. Nonetheless, the success of polio vaccines, both Salk and Sabin, underscores the importance of these efforts to potentially eradicate the disease worldwide.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some critics might argue that working to end polio is not a worthwhile endeavor because the disease is already nearly eradicated in most parts of the world, with cases primarily confined to a few endemic countries namely Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. These critics may also cite the challenges in these regions such as military conflict or political instability, which can disrupt vaccination efforts, and question the feasibility of completely eradicating the disease.
Furthermore, they might point out that resources used for polio eradication could potentially be redirected to other pressing health concerns or diseases that affect larger populations. However, it is crucial to recognize that the global vaccination campaign has dramatically reduced the incidence of polio, and continuing these efforts could lead to polio becoming the third disease to be eradicated. The Salk vaccine, a killed virus vaccine, and the Sabin vaccine, a live attenuated vaccine, have been instrumental in reducing polio cases. A country with a near-zero infection rate might opt to use the Salk vaccine over the Sabin vaccine due to the absence of risk for vaccine-derived polio, which can occur in rare instances with live vaccines.