Telangana Government Launches Special Drive for Polio

An active strain of wild polio virus (P2 strain) was detected in a water sample collected from a drain in Hyderabad. The Telangana prompted to airlift two lakh vaccines from Geneva to innoculate more than three lakh children in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district as a "preventive measure”.

Vaccine Derived Polio Virus (VDPV) strain has not been seen in the country for more than five years. While no case of polio has been reported so far, the strain, doctors said, must be contained as it continues to be reported in neighbouring countries and West Asia that are well connected with Hyderabad.

The strain was found in a sewerage sample taken from the Amberpet sewerage treatment plant on May 17, during routine surveillance after 30 samples were taken from various parts of the city.

"The government has decided to conduct a special campaign against polio in Hyderabad and parts of Ranga Reddy from June 20 to June 26," said Rajeshwar Tiwari, prinicipal secretary, health. He added that this wasn't the first time that the strain was traced. The wild polio strain was previously detected in Bihar, Gujarat, UP and even Delhi.

"We'll be following WHO set standards during our programmes," he added. As part of the special campaign, children aged between six weeks to three years will be given additional doses of the injectable polio vaccine (IPV). Booths will be set up in areas being covered in these campaigns.

Source-Medindia