GS2/Health
Context
- India’s achievement of polio-free status in 2014 represents one of the most significant successes in global public health.
About
- India’s participation in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) complemented by the robust national immunization efforts under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) made it successful.
| Immunization in India – The Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) was launched in 1978. 1. This program aimed to provide vaccines to children against various diseases. – In 1985, this program was renamed the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), broadening its reach to rural areas beyond urban centers. – The UIP became an integral part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), launched in 2005 to improve the health of rural populations. – Today, UIP is one of the world’s largest public health programs, targeting over 2.67 crore newborns and 2.9 crore pregnant women annually, providing free vaccines for 12 vaccine-preventable diseases. – Polio was one of the first diseases targeted under UIP, and its elimination became a key public health milestone. |
Polio
- Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly contagious viral disease caused by the poliovirus.
- It primarily affects children under the age of 5 and can lead to severe complications such as paralysis, disability, or even death.
- Spread: Polio spreads mainly through fecal-oral transmission.
- It can also be spread via respiratory droplets from coughing or sneezing.
- Symptoms:
- Most cases are mild or asymptomatic.
- A smaller percentage of infected individuals develop paralytic polio, which can cause paralysis, usually affecting the legs or respiratory muscles.
- Vaccination:
- There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented.
- Polio vaccine, given multiple times, can protect a child for life.
- There are two vaccines available: oral polio vaccine and inactivated polio vaccine. Both are effective and safe.
India’s Efforts in Polio Eradication:
- Pulse Polio Programme Launch (1995): It used an Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) strategy, reaching over 1 million children and ensuring every child under five was vaccinated.
- The campaign became iconic, with the slogan “Do Boond Zindagi Ki” (Two drops of life).
- Routine Immunization and System Strengthening: The UIP provided free vaccines against polio, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, measles, hepatitis B, and tuberculosis.
- Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) Introduction (2015): IPV provides additional protection against polio, especially against type 2 poliovirus, and was gradually expanded nationwide by 2016.
- Political Will and Community Engagement: Political leaders at all levels ensured that resources were allocated and the program received the needed attention.
- The Pulse Polio campaigns also relied heavily on door-to-door efforts, reaching children in difficult-to-reach areas.
- Final Leap: On 27th March 2014, India was officially declared polio-free, a milestone celebrated globally as an example of successful public health intervention.
Way Ahead
- Annual Polio Campaigns: India continues to conduct National Immunization Days (NID) and Sub-National Immunization Days (SNID) annually to keep immunity levels high and ensure that no child is missed.
- Surveillance and Border Vaccination: Continuous surveillance and vaccination at international borders continues to mitigate the risk of polio re-importation from endemic regions.
- New Vaccines and Expansion: India has introduced several new vaccines under its immunization program, including Rotavirus, Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV), and Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccine, as part of broader efforts to prevent other vaccine-preventable diseases.
- Mission Indradhanush: Launched in 2014, it aims to increase immunization coverage to 90%.
Source: PIB
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