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Pulse Polio

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Pulse Polio is an immunization campaign established by the government of India in 1995-96 to eradicate poliomyelitis (polio) in India by vaccinating all children under the age of five years against poliovirus.This project deals with the ways to fight poliomyelitis through a large scale immunization programme, co-operating with a various international institutions, state governments and Non Governmental Organizations.


About Polio

Poliomyelitis, often referred to as polio, is contagious disease caused by poliovirus. It spreads quickly form one person to another mostly affecting children under 3 years of age. To less than 1% who are severely infected, it may lead to lifelong paralysis (Atkinson, 2007). There is no known cure for polio, and hence, prevention by vaccines becomes necessary.

Causes

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Stiffness in the neck
  • Fatigue
  • Vomiting
  • Pain in the limbs

There are two types of polio vaccines known. The first one, developed by Jonas Salk, known as Inactivated Polio Vaccines (IPV) consists of inactivated polio virus which is injected in the bodies of children. The second one, commonly known as the Oral Polio Vaccine(OPV), was developed by Albert Sabin consisting of attenuated polio virus. With advanced research in the field, it is revealed that OPVs are much cheaper compared to IPVs. Moreover, with modern methods of manufacture, they are extremely safe and chances of causing paralysis is as low as one in a million.

Historical Backgrond

In India, vaccination against Polio started in 1978 with Expanded Program in Immunization (EPI). By 1984, it was successful in covering around 40% of all infants, giving 3 doses of OPV to each. In 1985 Universal Immunization Program (UIP) was launched to cover all the districts of the country. UIP became a part of Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Program(CSSM) in 1992 and Reproductive and Child Health Program (RCH) in 1997. This program showed a significant increase in coverage upto 95%. The number of reported cases of polio also declined from 28757 during 1987 to 3265 in 1995. In 1995, following the Polio Eradication Initiative of World Health Organization (1988), Inida launched Pulse Polio Immunization Program along with Universal Immunization Program which aimed at 100% coverage.

Key Objectives

Pulse Polio Initiavtive (PPI) aims at covering each an every individual in the country. It aspires to reach even the remote children through improved social mobilization plan.[1]

  • Not a single child should miss the immunization and leave no chance of polio occurrence.
  • Cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) to be reported in time and stool specimens of them to be collected within 14 days. Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI)to be conducted as early as possible.
  • Maintaining high level of surveillance.
  • Performance of good mop-up operations where polio has disappeared.
  • India to be polio -free by 2005.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Best Practices
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