Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : November 30, 2015 2:47 PM IST
Polio has been eradicated in India, thanks to the numerous pulse polio campaigns carried out diligently by the government. Until now, the polio vaccine was administered orally in the form of drops but the government has now launched an injectable vaccine to prevent the re-emergence of the disease. It will be administered in addition to the polio drops to double the protection from the virus which is likely to emerge again, reported The Hindu. (Read: Why your vaccinated child also needs the government s pulse polio immunisation)
Health Minister JP Nadda said that even though India has been declared polio free the battle is far from over. The virus is active in our neighbour countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan and the risk of reintroduction of virus from these countries is high. He further said that we have to vigilant till the virus is eradicated globally. He also said that the Inactivated Polio Vaccine will be introduced in the routine immunisation programme to ensure that children are doubly protected from the virus. (Read: Polio: Do you know about the disease?)
IPV will be first introduced in six states Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. But children will continue to receive the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) dose under the routine immunisation and pulse polio campaigns till they are 5 years of age.
Health secretary BP Sharma further emphasised that children should receive OPV doses under routine immunisation and in pulse polio campaign until the age of five even after receiving the IPV vaccine with the third dose of OPV. He further informed that with the elimination of type 2 polio from the country, the government is shifting from tOPV to bOPV vaccine in April 2016. The introduction of the new IPV in the immunisation programme will reduce the risk associated with this shift. (Read: Polio-free India to supply the oral polio vaccine to 40 nations)
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