Exclusive: India to be declared polio-free by WHO today
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13-01-2014, 08:47 AM
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India to be declared polio-free by WHO today
New Delhi: The World Health Organisation is set to officialy declare India a polio free nation on Monday. India celebrates the third anniversary of being polio free on January 13, the most successful public health story of the past decade.
There have been no cases of polio detected for three years now, but experts are warning against complacency. The threat of cross-border importation still remains very real as Pakistan still records many cases of polio. WHO's declaration comes as a remarkable achievement for a nation that saw more than one lakh babies crippled every year. Until 2009, India accounted for more than half the world's polio cases. [IMG]Guests cannot see images and links in the messages. Please register to forum by clicking Register Here to see images.[/IMG] OR Login to view. India to be declared polio-free by WHO today There have been no cases of polio detected for three years now, but experts warn against complacency. "The world thought that it would be very difficult for India to eradicate polio," said NK Arora of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI). In 2011, Rukshsaar from Howrah in Bengal, who was then 2 years old, was the last polio case to have been detected in India. "I regret not getting my child vaccinated. Now, I tell other people not to make the same mistake," said Rukhsaar's father Abdul Shah. In the past few years, India has mobilised 24 lakh volunteers and 1.5 lakh frontline workers in an anti-polio effort that costs the government Rs 1,000 crore every year. More than 17 crore children are immunised in each national round of polio vaccination which is held six to eight times a year. In each nationwide polio campaign, 2.3 million vaccinators immunise nearly 172 million children. But the threat of importation from neighbouring countries like Afganistan and Nigeria and most of all Pakistan looms large over India. Pakistan is still a very real threat, say experts. "We have a huge risk from our neighbour because the border is so porous. Besides the endemic countries have reinfected cuntries like Somalia. We cannot let this happen to our country," said Raman Bhatia, member of India National PolioPlus Committee (INPPC). While polio has been eradicated, India still tops the world's list for child mortality and millions of children die in completely preventable conditions, like diarrhoea, and pneumonia. Hopefully the government will be able to fight these conditions as it overcame the demon of polio. |
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The following 1 user Likes SARAVANA RAMESH's post: Deep.S |
13-01-2014, 08:51 AM
Post: #2
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RE: India to be declared polio-free by WHO today
Good For Small Childrens
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13-01-2014, 08:55 AM
Post: #3
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RE: India to be declared polio-free by WHO today
Dear Friends pls inform to your neighbours & Friends & family members
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