India completes two years without any case of polio on 13 January 2013, an unprecedented progress for a country, which in 2009 accounted for nearly half the world’s polio cases.
In view of the progress, India achieved a major milestone in 2012 with the World Health Organization striking it off the list of polio endemic countries on 25 February 2012, after India completed one year without any case of polio. India has not reported any case after a two-year old girl was paralyzed by polio in Howrah district of West Bengal on 13 January 2011.
This progress makes India more confident of achieving its goal of eradicating polio. It also demonstrates that the existing polio eradication strategies are effective in stopping polio even in the most challenging conditions.
On 25 February, 2012, India was officially struck off the list of polio-endemic countries by the World Health Organization (WHO), having gone more than one year without reporting any cases of wild poliovirus. India’s success leaves only three countries in the world considered polio-endemic – meaning they have never stopped indigenous wild poliovirus transmission – Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. Read More
The Bulawa Toli Bulawa toli is a group of young volunteers who mobilise community for polio immunisation on the polio booth day. These these young advocates run house-to-house shouting slogans and blowing whistles to draw attention of the children and parents to the polio booth.
Eradicating Polio UNICEF is working with the district health department and Dargah Committee in district Bahraich of Uttar Pradesh to ensure that every child coming to the Mela is immunized and large scale awareness about the polio prevention is raised..
Polio: no place too far This photo feature demonstrates the enormous challenge in reaching children in the high risk areas of Bihar. The trip to Sunita, a polio-affected child in Saharsa in the Kosi river area, was undertaken by SMNet Bihar team members.
Fighting Polio In 2009, 66 per cent of polio cases nationally occurred in children under two years of age. About 230,000 children are born each month in Bihar, and in U.P., over 400,000 children are born each month
Polio eradication efforts strengthened during religious occasions Polio Advocacy week was held in Patna, Bihar from February 27 – March 4, 2010 during hafta-e-rehmat (The Blessing Week) to overcome resistance towards repeated rounds of polio immunisation and other communication issues surrounding Polio Eradication.
Traditional healers become influencers in Bareilly Traditional healers play an important role in influencing community health decisions and also provide invaluable access to primary health care in underserved areas
Reaching Out To Mobile Populations With over 15% of polio cases in 2009 emerging from migrant communities, reaching these communities remains a crucial link to securing eradication in India
Two states and 100 blocks away from polio-free India UNICEF India Representative, Ms. Karin Hulshof in conversation with Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (IAPPD) (India) talks about the Polio Eradication Initiative in India
Mother- Baby get-togethers Held in all the SMNet blocks of Meerut district, prior to each round of the polio immunization drive, these meetings educate pregnant women on early and exclusive breastfeeding and also encourage lactating mothers to have their babies weighed.
Cricket Champs Advocate to Bowl out Polio Cricket aces championed the cause of polio eradication in Lucknow on the eve of the Ranji Trophy match between Uttar Pradesh and Delhi on November 23, 2009.
Profile of a Special Influencer Over the past four years, Nadeem has been a permanent fixture at the polio booths during the polio rounds in Kandhla block of Muzzafarnagar
“May Allah bless us … and may polio be eradicated from the world…” “May Allah bless us and our children with good health…...and may polio and other dreadful diseases be eradicated from the world. We will pray at Makkah Mukarramah for this”, said Hazrat Syed Shah Shamim Munawi, Sazada-Nashin-Khan-Ka-Munamiya of Patna city
Winning against polio with Razda Begum Razda Begum sits with her decorated white chart paper which has the Mohallah Sufi Khan in Farrukhabad mapped out with its masjids (mosques), public facilities, the “grids” within the area and the “influencers” who work for the polio eradication programme
Mecca-bound Pilgrims call for end of Polio Javed Mian, 65, is a small-time businessman in the Sabzi Bagh locality of Patna, the capital city of the eastern Indian state of Bihar.
Moradabad celebrates win against Polio with Hockey It was not only time for celebration but also time for re-dedication to the cause of polio eradication as former hockey Olympians Zafar Iqbal and Dhanraj Pillai, among others, signed a pledge for polio eradication
Babille Story Irene Babille is a student at the American International School in New Delhi. Earlier this year, she participated in India’s National Polio Eradication Programme, as part of her schools’ community outreach effort...
Amitabh Bachchan's video on polio
