India on alert as polio cases rise in Pak, Afghan
NEW DELHI , OCT 25 : Despite being officially certified as polio-free since 2014, India remains at risk of polio reinfection due to vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV), its proximity to endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and potential gaps in immunity, experts said here on the occasion of World Polio Day on Friday.
Speaking to TNIE, Deepak Kapur, Chairman, Rotary International’s India National PolioPlus Committee (RI-INPPC), said, “India was officially declared polio-free in 2014, but the battle against the virus is still ongoing.”
As surveillance is key to India maintaining its polio-free status, he said, maintaining strong immunisation and surveillance programs is critical to preventing re-emergence.
“Polio surveillance is critical for achieving and maintaining global eradication by detecting and tracking all poliovirus, including asymptomatic cases, informing vaccination strategies, and confirming the absence of circulation. Without it, public health authorities would be unable to pinpoint where the virus is still spreading,” said Kapur, who played a significant role in the polio eradication campaign in India.
“As the world nears complete polio eradication, the importance of highly sensitive surveillance remains paramount. In the post-eradication era, surveillance will continue to be a priority for monitoring the cessation of vaccine virus circulation and confirming eradication for certification purposes. It is an essential and ongoing investment,” said Kapur, who was instrumental in signing an MoU with the Union Health Ministry in 2017 to provide support and accelerate the efforts under the Polio Eradication Programme, Routine Immunisation, including Mission Indradhanush, and Intensified Mission Indradhanush.
India’s last reported polio case was on January 13, 2011, in West Bengal.
After that, India managed to keep the virus at a distance through large-scale vaccination programs and careful monitoring.
However, Kapur, who has been chairman of RI-INPPC for more than two decades, said the danger is still close due to neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, which share their borders with India and continue to experience polio outbreaks, making it easier for the virus to cross over if the surveillance is less attentive.
“Monitoring for polio is an essential part of the country’s defence system, which is supported by many health authorities that are capable of detecting very quiet and symptomless poliovirus circulation. This constant checking is not just to prevent repeated outbreaks; it also indicates that no wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus is circulating undetected in the country,” he said.
He said India has made this long journey towards progress by adopting highly sensitive surveillance systems as a form of national and global health security insurance.
“The testing of each stool sample, the investigation of every suspected case and the identification of each 0-dose child contribute to the closing of possible loopholes. In the post-abolition period, the single way of ensuring the complete disappearance of the virus is care. It is because the moment attention is turned away, the whole progress of the last three decades could reverse,” he stressed.
Highlighting that India recorded over 9 lakh children who received no vaccines last year or missed even one vaccine under the regular immunisation program, could help the virus hide and spread.
“The presence of such unvaccinated children creates gaps where the virus can hide and then spread quickly once again. This means that no country, even India, can declare that they are totally safe as long as polio exists somewhere in the world,” he added.
Added Dr. Anand Narayanan, Associate Consultant, Paediatrics, Sarvodaya Hospital, Faridabad, India must sustain strong polio surveillance as neighbouring countries remain endemic.
“Detecting and stopping any importation early is of utmost importance, failing which we face the risk of new polio cases in our country.”
“With over 9 lakh unvaccinated children, gaps in immunization threaten resurgence. Every child must be reached through regular immunization drives and rapid response systems to maintain India’s polio-free status,” Dr Narayanan said.
Kapur further said that the only way to prevent the virus from returning is to ensure that every child receives all scheduled doses of the oral polio vaccine (OPV), and parents should not miss any immunisation round, because even one missed dose can break the protective chain that has kept the country safe for 14 years.
“In addition to vaccinations, India must also have strong surveillance and rapid response mechanisms in place to detect and contain any strains of vaccine-derived. India’s polio-free status is a great legacy. Still, it also requires constant monitoring, active public participation and the recognition that eradication is only real when protection is universal,” said Kapur.
Remarking on India’s journey in eliminating polio, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said, “As we observe World Polio Day, it reminds us of India’s remarkable journey in eliminating polio, a milestone achieved through unwavering national efforts and strong public participation. Behind this success are our dedicated healthcare workers, who reached every household with compassion and determination, ensuring no child was left behind in the fight against this preventable disease.”
“Let us renew our commitment to safeguarding every child through timely vaccination and work together for a healthier, polio-free future,” he posted on X.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General, said, “We are on the verge of making #polio the second human disease to be consigned to history. Decades ago, humanity bridged geopolitical and geographic borders to end smallpox. Let’s do the same for polio. Let’s finish the job.”
This year, 36 cases of polio were recorded in two endemic countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
-PTI
