10 Years of Polio Eradication in India

Posted 20 Nov 2024

2 min read

In March 2014, the World Health Organization declared India polio-free based on criteria including three years of no wild poliovirus transmission, robust surveillance systems, and the destruction of any remaining stocks of the virus.

It involved culmination of decades of dedicated efforts, starting with India’s participation in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative and national immunization efforts under Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

About Universal Immunization Programme

It is one of the world’s largest public health programs providing free vaccines for 12 vaccine-preventable diseases.
In 1985, Expanded Programme on Immunization was renamed as UIP, broadening its reach to rural areas beyond urban centers.

Preventive measures to maintain Polio-free status in India

Annual Polio Campaigns: National Immunization Days (NID) and Sub-National Immunization Days (SNID) conducted annually to keep immunity levels high and ensure that no child is missed.
Surveillance and Border Vaccination: Vaccination at international borders continues to mitigate the risk of polio re-importation from endemic regions.
Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV): Introduced in 2015, provides additional protection against polio, especially against type 2 poliovirus.
Mission Indradhanush: Launched in 2014, it aims to increase immunization coverage to 90%. Special attention is given to hard-to-reach areas with low immunization rates.

About Poliomyelitis (Polio)

Highly infectious viral disease that largely affects children under 5 years of age.
Transmission: Person-to-person spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or,
- less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g., contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis.
Wild Poliovirus Strain Status across the World
- Type 1: Remains endemic in Pakistan and Afghanistan (as of 2022).
- Type 2: Eradicated in 1999
- Type 3: Eradicated in 2020
Vaccine-derived polio occurs when the weakened strain in oral polio vaccine (OPV) mutates, potentially regaining the ability to cause paralysis in under-vaccinated populations.