The Imphal Free Press

IMPHAL, Feb 10: Even as the country suffered a setback in the campaign for eradication of polio due to detection of fresh cases in different parts of the country, Manipur is on the verge of polio eradication, according to the state directorate of family welfare services.

Manipur conducted the second round of pulse polio immunization programme throughout the state today. Administration of polio vaccine to a total number of 351849 eligible children (0-5 years) spread over 3,016 villages across the state is targeted in this second round immunization programme.

The directorate opened 3447 booths across the state with a total of 14477 manpower out of which 13788 were vaccinators under the supervision of 689 supervisors making up 6894 teams.

Initiative to eradicate polio in India was taken up since 1995 and the pulse polio immunization programme has made remarkable progress towards achieving the goal in the first years.

During the year 2001, although the number of cases remained almost the same as in 2000, the number of polio endemic districts in the country came down to 63 from 89 infected districts in 2000. Under the circumstances, it was anticipated that during 2002 it would be possible to reach near the goal of total eradication.

The programme suffered a setback in 2002 due to large scale outbreak in Utter Pradesh and spill over transmission in other neighbouring states.

Again from 268 cases from 11 states in 63 districts in 2001, the cases rose to 1600 in 16 states in 159 districts.

The reworked strategy led to increase in the number of national immunization rounds, NIDs and sub-national immunization rounds in the country followed by intensive input in terms of reducing the caseload to 66 cases during 2005.

However, again in 2006, there was a resurgence of the disease and the reported cases increased to 676.

In 2007, there was a sharp rise in the number of P3 cases with 403 cases out of 471 which was expected as per immunization strategy which focused on elimination of P1 virus by introducing mOPV1 since early 2005 in the endemic states. The greatest gain was the reduction of |P1 virus which has a propensity to spread far and wide.

In Manipur, according to the official sources from the state family welfare directorate, during the last 12 years the PPI coverage was satisfactory and this was only due to the whole-hearted support and co-operation and co-ordination of different government departments like ICDS, education, social welfare, transport, etc.

One of the most valuable gains of pulse polio immunization has been the community`s acceptance of the programme as something beneficial for them, demonstrated by their enthusiastic participation in the immunization activities, they said.

The family welfare department is fully committed to the successful implementation and monitoring of the programme, they added.

"Our state Manipur is now on the verge of polio eradication. No virologically confirmed polio cases have been reported for the last nine years in the state," the officials said.

Though the present law and order situation and the difficult terrian in the hill districts are hurdle to the implementation of the programme, officials amd staff are fully committed to the successful implementation of the programme with the support from the departments, media, clubs and particularly the community so that the goal of polio eradication with certification is achieved in the near future, the officials observed today.

 

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