India has been polio-free for more than four years – maintains high surveillance for polio-virus detection
An year after India became polio free, there was a recent scare of its re-occurrence with over 200 samples in UP testing positive to polio-like symptoms. The children, between the ages of 5 and 15 years, had complained of paralysis and loss of muscular strength in hands and legs. However, the Ministry for Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW) has made it clear that the 208 cases reported are of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) and all the cases received from the laboratories in 2015 are negative for polio-virus.
India is polio-free, its last case of wild polio-virus was detected in 2011. After three consecutive polio-free years, the South-East Asia Region of WHO, comprising 11 countries (including India), was certified polio-free on 27 March 2014. Despite this progress, India has maintained a high vigil and ensured that no complacency sets in order to maintain the polio-free status for the last more than four years. It has taken appropriate actions to ensure high population immunity against polio as well as for maintaining a sensitive surveillance system for polio-virus detection.
Surveillance for polio in India has been set up as per global WHO guidelines according to which all cases of paralysis with sudden onset in children up to 15 years are reported and investigated by the polio surveillance network and their stool samples tested for polio-virus in WHO accredited laboratories. The MOHFW has also informed that every year, approximately 50,000 AFP cases are picked up and investigated from across the country by the polio surveillance network. All AFP cases investigated in 2012, 2013 and 2014 have tested negative for polio-virus. Nearly 18,000 AFP cases have been investigated between January and June 2015 as a part of the ongoing surveillance activities in India. The 208 cases reported in a section of the media are a part of these.
The surveillance system for polio is being maintained in India even after polio-free certification to demonstrate that there is no polio in India and to pick up any importations of polio-virus, if they were to occur.
Intensive efforts have been undertaken in India to improve routine immunisation coverage that involves administering polio vaccines, in addition to other vaccines, to infants under the aegis of universal immunization programme (UIP).
Strong measures have been in operation in India to mitigate the risk of an importation and spread of the polio-virus from countries with continued circulation of polio-virus. More than 100 vaccination posts are functioning along the international borders of India with Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan to administer oral polio vaccine drops throughout the year to all children entering India through these borders. India has also made polio vaccination a mandatory requirement for travellers coming from and going to polio infected countries, including the recently infected ones.
Source: PIB
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