Why in the News?

India’s achievement of polio-free status in 2014 represents one of the most significant successes in global public health. The eradication of polio was not a singular event, but the culmination of decades of dedicated efforts, starting with India’s participation in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) and complemented by the robust national immunization efforts under the Universal Immunization Programme (UIP).

About Poliomyelitis (Polio)

• It is a highly infectious viral disease primarily affecting children under 5 years of age.
• Transmitted through the faecal-oral route or less commonly via contaminated water/food.
• 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.
• Launched in 2014, it aims to increase immunization coverage to 90%. Special attention is given to hard- to-reach areas with low immunization rates.