PATNA: Thanks to efforts made by the government to eradicate polio from the state, Bihar recorded only nine polio cases in 2010 against 117 in 2009.
Out of these nine, six cases were reported in January itself, all of which were P3 types.
However, after the introduction of bivalent oral polio vaccine (BOPV) in January, which protects against both P1 and P3 virus, no case of P3 type was reported in the state.
Said the executive director, State Health Society, Bihar, Sanjay Kumar, “Even the three P1 cases that were reported after January were imports from Nepal. The cases were reported from Dhaka in East Champaran district, bordering Rautahat district of Nepal.”
He said quick response by the state government with two mop-up polio immunization rounds effectively controlled the situation. The P3 cases reported in January were from Samastipur and Begusarai districts, he said.
Elaborating on the government’s plan to combat polio in areas sustaining polio virus circulation over the years, Kumar said under the Kosi plan, anti-polio operations in riverine areas had been intensified, as a result of which the Kosi belt is free from polio virus circulation in 2010.
It may be mentioned here that the national polio eradication programme has identified 107 high-risk blocks in the country, of which 41 are in Bihar.
The state health department has intensified efforts in all these 41 high-risk blocks with focus on boosting routine immunization and addressing risk factors associated with polio by promoting breastfeeding, diarrhoea management using zinc tablets, hygiene and sanitation, said Kumar.
Kumar said, “Focusing on the most vulnerable mobile and migrant population which is responsible for sustaining polio transmission in the country, polio immunization was carried out this festive season by targeting thousands of families visiting the state.” He said more than three lakh children were vaccinated during Shravani Mela, 12.82 lakh during Diwali and Chhath and about 30,000 during Sonepur Mela.
Starting December 19, polio immunization would be carried out in seven high-risk districts of the state, including Patna, Begusarai, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Khagaria, Saharsa and Madhepura, Kumar said, adding 13,000 vaccination teams would visit 13 lakh houses to vaccinate more than 48 lakh children.
Read more: Sharp fall in polio cases in Bihar, says new study – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Sharp-fall-in-polio-cases-in-Bihar-says-new-study/articleshow/7120937.cms#ixzz18UvGA6I6