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In response to the event of Vaccine Derived
Polio Virus detected in sewage in Hyderabad,
even though there was no human case, a
special immunization drive was carried out in
high risk areas of Hyderabad as
a preventive measure to build
population immunity and
3,11,000 children were
vaccinated with a dose of IPV.
Mr Faggan Singh Kulaste, Minister of State for
Health and Family Welfare
departments, to persuade people
for vaccination. He also suggested
the government to make
vaccination mandatory for getting
school admissions.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Health
Minister, Ms K K Shylaja denied
the opposition's charge that there
was a scarcity of preventive
vaccine as the minister told the
state’s assembly that the
government had already launched
a massive vaccination drive in the
worst-hit Malappuram district
with an aim to immunize over
2.30 lakh children.
Replying to a notice for
adjournment motion for a debate
on the matter, the minister said
few cases of diphtheria were also
reported in Kozhikode and
Palakkad districts and steps have
already been taken to check the
spread of the disease. “The
reluctance of a section of a people
in Malappuram to go for
vaccination was one of the
reasons for the sudden spurt of
the disease in the district.
Superstition and some unethical
treatment methods, which have
been under practice in the area,
also contributed to the present
situation,” she admitted.
"Following the intervention of the
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BioVoiceNews | August 2016
government, a large number of
children in Malappuram have
already been vaccinated under the
special immunization drive. There
is no scarcity of preventive
vaccines. Steps have been taken to
ensure the stock of at least 4.50
lakh doses necessary for the
programme," she said.
Polio eliminated yet threat
perception persists
India continues to maintain
highly sensitive surveillance
system for Polio and maintains
quality parameter checks for
surveillance like non polio AFP
rate, adequate stool collection rate
etc. Surveillance reviews are
conducted from time to time to
ensure the quality of surveillance.
In addition, the country has also
started environmental
surveillance in selected sites in
the country to detect polio virus in
sewage samples.
As per the Minister of State (Health
and Family Welfare), Mr Faggan
Singh Kulaste, the government of
India has already introduced
inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in
the country over and above existing
doses of oral polio vaccine (OPV) to
provide additional protection to
children of the country against
polio. In response to the event of
Vaccine Derived Polio Virus
detected in sewage in Hyderabad,
even though there was no human
case, a special immunization drive
was carried out in high risk areas of
Hyderabad as a preventive measure
to build population immunity and
3,11,000 children were vaccinated
with a dose of IPV.
World Health Organization (WHO)
too has been carrying out Acute
Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance
where all suspected cases of Acute
Flaccid Paralysis are examined to
rule out polio. The suspected case in
Uttar Pradesh investigated by WHO
and result of the two stool samples
pertaining to this case, tested in the
laboratory reported that there is no
poliovirus. Hence, the case is
classified as Non Polio Acute
Flaccid Paralysis case and the child
is under treatment of district
hospital, Balrampur.
In Indian context, there
are many socio-economic
and social factors that
play a role in the success
or failure of any health
campaign. What makes
it more complicated is
when the certain sections
try to bring in the
religious beliefs to stop
the vaccination.
Immunization efforts so far….
With the addition of four new
vaccines--Inactivated Polio (IPV),
Rotavirus, Measles, Rubella (MR)
and Adult Japanese Encephalitis
(JE)--UIP will provide free vaccines
against 12 life threatening diseases
to 27 million children annually,
according to the health ministry.
Under Mission Indradhanush, a
total of about 200.8 lakh children
have been vaccinated till 16th July