In Tamil Nadu, only one round of polio immunisation to take place t
Posted on: 08/Jan/2019 10:25:51 AM
For the last 14 years, the state of Tamil Nadu has been free from polio. The news that has come out is on 3rd February 2019, single round of intensified pulse polio immunisation programme would take place. Those kids who are less than 5 years of age would be given polio immunisation in this programme.
It must not be forgotten that till now the immunisation programme took place in 2 phases every year. National technical advisory group took the decision to hold the immunisation programme for one round and this was confirmed by the director of public health and preventive medicine, Mr. K. Kolandaswamy. He shared his happiness regarding India being declared polio free by the WHO or World Health Organisation as in the last three years no polio cases were reported. This led to the group deciding that there would be just one round of pulse polio immunisation in 2019.
Christian Medical College or CMC in Vellore is a highly popular medical educational institute and retired virologist Dr. Jacob john of this CMC spoke about how WHO declared the south east Asian region including India as polio free in the year 2014. It was in the month of January in 2011 the last polio virus case was noted. He then explained about the importance of pulse polio immunisation that was done twice every year to keep up the population immunity.
He shed light on the polio cases in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan and said the number of polio cases in Pakistan was 8 in 2018 and 21 in Afghanistan in 2018. He pointed out that India�s immediate threat risk was Pakistan and this risk has become low now. He added that the immunisation coverage is also improving in India due to Mission Indhradhanush. He touched upon the importance of Inactivated Polio Vaccine and said it has lowered the risk of spreading of polio. Dr. Jacob John finally explained about how single polio pulse immunisation programme is enough now and he was satisfied with the 2 rounds in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It is known that a human enterovirus called poliovirus is responsible for poliomyelitis or polio.
