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More than 170 million children under the age of 5 have been vaccinated annually in India through the Pulse Polio Immunisation programme.
No polio cases were reported in India for the past three years
Eleven countries, including India, was certified polio-free on Thursday by an independent commission of the World Health Organisation (WHO) with no case of the disease being reported in the country for three years.
The WHO’s South-East Asia Region comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste. All 11 countries were declared polio-free.
A panel of 11 experts in public health, epidemiology, virology, clinical medicine and related specialities met for two days at the WHO’s regional headquarters in New Delhi to review evidence before reaching the decision.
The South-East Asia region, home to a quarter of the world’s population, is the fourth of six WHO regions to be declared polio-free.
“This is a momentous victory... It is a sign of what we can bequeath our children when we work together,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for the WHO South-East Asia Region.
In 2009, India’s 741 polio infections accounted for nearly half the world’s total. But a public immunization campaign made 2010 a turning point with only 42 cases.
Over the past decade, India’s polio eradication programme involved 2.3 million health workers and volunteers. More than 170 million children under the age of 5 have been vaccinated annually.
The last polio case was recorded on January 13, 2011 in West Bengal state. In 2012, the WHO removed India from the list of polio-endemic countries.
Dr. Khetrapal also sounded a word of caution, saying: “Until polio is globally eradicated, all countries are at risk and the region’s polio-free status remains fragile.” The disease remains officially endemic in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease, mainly affecting children younger than 5. It can cause permanent paralysis and death, but can be prevented through immunization. The virus is spread through contaminated food and water.
Keywords: polio immunisation, polio free India, pulse polio immunisation campaign, WHO, polio eradication, polio vaccination, wild poliovirus, poliomyelitis, oral polio vaccine
WHO certifies India polio-free - The Hindu
