Marking the World polio day India’s health minister stated“India is close to wiping out Polio”. Ever since the launch of global eradication campaign no new cases of polio has been reported for more than nine months. This makes the longest polio-free period in India.
Polio is still prevalent in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. India is one among these countries in the World where polio is still endemic. Uttar Pradesh has been one of the worst-affected regions in the world's fight against polio. In 2008, of the 549 polio cases reported in India, 297 were in Uttar Pradesh.
This year the only reported case of polio was in the state of West Bengal. There were 39 cases reported over a similar period in 2010. The health ministry reported that no cases were reported from the northern state of Uttar Pradesh for 18 months and no cases have been reported from Bihar over the last 13 months. The results are encouraging, India’s health minister stated, “"We are close to our goal but are not taking any chances.” He declared that the country will intensify its efforts to stop any residual polio virus circulation and also to prevent any polio cases following an international importation.
India has battled the debilitating disease which strikes children aged under five. For decades health officials and non-governmental organizations have administered large-scale immunization programmes. India holds two national immunization days every year. On each of these immunization days, polio drops are given to nearly 170.2 million children. India's efforts to reduce polio cases have been praised by international health organizations. According to officials, any new case of Polio would be dealt with as a public health emergency.
References:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-15425852
