MADURAI: An important alert was given to Government of India by the Rotary International urging the health authorities to restart and relaunch polio National Immunization Days (NIDs) for pulse polio vaccination across the country because of latest polio cases reported from neighbouring countries Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Mr.Ashok Mahajan, Past Rotary International Director (2007-09) and Advisor of National Polio Plus Committee, has today cautioned that special attention must be given to States like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra with a focus on Mumbai area etc because the polio immunization and polio vaccination numbers is presently seems to be low in these places.
“The Rotary International has already spent 2.6 billion dollars for polio eradication worldwide. Polio is a top priority for us ever since we started it in the year 1988 and at that time 60 per cent of polio cases used to be from India. But now, there is again polio threat for India due to the 22 polio cases from our neighbouring Afghanistan and 32 polio cases reported from Pakistan. So, when we have 54 polio cases just now from these two neighbouring nations, our Rotary International had alerted the Government of India, Union Health Ministry etc to take quick steps for relaunching pulse polio immunization days all over India in all States once again very soon,” Mr.Ashok Mahajan who was a Trustee of The Rotary Foundation (2009-13), had alerted while speaking to ‘Lotus Times’ English media over phone today- on October 19th 2024.
He said that even though India was declared polio-free there is now a matter of concern and alert to the Government of India to caution that there is still polio risk.
“When India became polio free nine years back, we thought that polio is over. But the time has now come again to start polio immunization across the country through NIDs because routine immunization was found to be not fully done in Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai etc. We spoke to Union Health Minister Mr.Nadda. So, India now needs polio vaccination with the same seriousness as it was in the 90s because polio anywhere is polio anywhere,” Rtn.Ashok Mahajan had alerted today.
