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Commentary

The effort to end polio is beating a path that could be followed by other disease eradication programmes.

For many nations, the next target will be measles ­ currently killing between 1 and 2 million young children every year and leaving many millions more in a weakened state.

An even more difficult challenge is pneumonia, which, with over 3 million victims a year, is now the biggest single killer of the world's children.

These pages report on national efforts against these two major threats to children's lives and health.