The following report is from ‘The Times Of India’:
The Indian Institute of Health Management and Research, University, Jaipur, said that despite India being polio-free, the growing cases of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis is a huge cause of concern.
In 2004, 12,000 cases of non-polio paralysis were reported which increased to 53,563 cases by 2012. According to the data published by the union health ministry in July, 2015, the total number of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis (NPAFP) cases across the country were 18,141, of which 5918 were reported from UP, 668 from Rajasthan, 102 from Telangana, 385 from Karnataka and 865 from Maharashtra, among others.
In order to mitigate the risks of the importation of the wild polio virus, India has set up more than 100 vaccination posts along the international borders of India with Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Bhutan. Environmental surveillance through testing of sewage samples for polio is also being done at Mumbai, Delhi, Bihar, West Bengal and Punjab.[1]
So as the continued narrative that the Polio Vaccine is eradicating the disease across the third world the reality is, as it has always been since the Polio Vaccine was introduced very different.
As cases of Polio are reportedly going down, cases of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis are climbing higher than ever.
Government surveillance data show that while India is set to be tagged as polio-free, it has actually become the nation with the world’s highest rate of NPAFP incidence. In the past 13 months, India has reported 53,563 cases of NPAFP at a national rate of 12 per 100,000 children—way above the global benchmark set by WHO of 2 per 100,000.
“Most experts will tell you the cases of NPAFP have increased because of better surveillance. This is bunkum,” said Puliyel. “As per global benchmarks, as polio incidence comes down, the rate of NPAFP should also reduce. Instead, AFP cases have been increasing steadily.”
“In 2010, the government reduced the number of pulse poThe Indian Institute of Health Management and Research, University, Jaipur, said that despite India being polio-free, the growing cases of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis is a huge cause of concern.lio doses from 10 to 6. What we found was that between 2010-2013, the number of APF cases also came down. Our paper argues that other kinds of polio are being caused by the excessive administration of polio dosages,” Puliyel said. “Another proof is that states like Kerala and Goa, where dosages were less, AFP cases was also less. Majority of NPAFP cases are reported from Bihar and UP, where several immunization rounds are held to reach universal coverage. These are figures the government does not want to admit.” [2]
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