question_answer 86)

  What is Pulse Polio Programme of Government of India? What is OPV? Why is it that India is yet to eradicate polio?

Answer:

                  Pulse Polio is an immunization campaign established by the Government of India in1995-96 to eradicate poliomyelitis (polio) in India by vaccinating all children under the age of five years orally against polio virus. This project deals with the ways to tight poliomyelitis through a large scale immunization programme, co-operating with various international institutions, state governments and Non-Governmental Organizations. In 1995, following the polio eradication initiative of World Health Organization (1988), India launched Pulse Polio Immunization Program along with Universal Immunization Program which aimed at 100% coverage. Having mate on unprecedented progress in polio eradication, India is now gearing up to be declared polio free by 2014 by guarding itself against the import of polio virus from neighbouring countries and by boosting routine immunization. Oral Polio Vaccine Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is a live-attenuated vaccine, produced by the passage of the virus through non-human cells at a sub-physiological temperature, which produces spontaneous mutations in the viral genome. OPV also proved to be superior in administration, eliminating the need for sterile syringes and making the vaccine more suitable for mass vaccination campaigns. OPV also provides long lasting immunity than thesalkvaccine. One dose of OPV produces immunity to all three poliovirus serotypes in approximately 50%of recipients. India is yet to eradicate polio because inspite of many initiatives taken by government, few cases has been reported .The last reported cases of polio in India was in West Bengal and Gujarat on 13 January2011. Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) had removed India from the list of polio-endemic countries. If no fresh case is reported till 2014, the country will be declared polio free. July 30, 2013 a nine-month old boy from Navi Mumbai has been found positive for Vaccine-Derived Polio-Virus(VDPV) type 2 and was on ventilator at BJ Wadia Hospital in Parel. This is the fourth such case recorded in the country that year, In India the main obstacle in the eradication of polio had been the refusal of polio vaccine by certain communities on account of illiteracy and misinformation.