Let’s End Polio

Despite many remedial interventions, awareness programs and immunization campaigns, the scare of this tenacious disease looms large and polio infections have been increasing and spreading. All we need is a stronger push and time to time awareness to root it out once and one for all. Saturday, 24 October, is World Polio Day –. Dr Rajiv Chabbbra, Consultant Paediatric & Neonatal Intensivist, Artemis Health Institute takes this day as an opportunity to clear the basic facts of this devastating disease to help us stay away from its crippling effects.
In order to protect all children from the clutch of this devouring disease, we must ensure that each and every child under five is given polio vaccine and oral polio.

• What is polio and how it is caused?
Polio is a disease of muscle controlling nerves, caused by a highly contagious virus known as poliovirus. The polio virus enters the body through the mouth, usually from hands contaminated with the stool of an infected person, which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis. There are three strains of polio virus in the community. Once the affected nerves are damaged, the recovery is not up to the mark.

• What age group suffers most form polio?
Children less than 5 years are most likely to suffer from polio that’s why Government’s focus is to cover every child below that age by administering 5 doses of polio.

• What is the estimated figure of polio affected people in India?
According to WHO, the incidence of polio in India in 2009 has dropped by 28 percent to 284 cases as of 8 September, compared with 397 cases over the same period a year ago. Monthly immunization campaigns in the highest-risk areas have reduced wild poliovirus type 1 — the more dangerous of the two remaining strains — to record lows.

• Is there a treatment for polio?
Unfortunately there is no specific cure for polio infection. It can only be prevented by vaccine. Those affected with paralysis can be helped to regain function in the affected limb or limbs with physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

• How can I protect my child from getting polio?
Two types of vaccines are available for preventing polio:
• Oral polio-5 doses before the age of 5 yrs.
• Injectible Polio vaccine- Minimum 2 doses should be given to the child before the age of 5 years.

• What is the difference between polio drops & polio injection?
Safety profile is more with the injectable vaccine. It is also costly in comparison to the oral vaccine. One need not be very stringent about cold chain maintenance with injectable vaccine. It is a little painful as it involves a prick.

• If a kid has been injected for polio should he also be given oral drops & up to what age?
Indian Academy of Pediatricians suggests giving both oral and injectable form of vaccine to give extra cover of prevention.

• What is post-polio syndrome?
Post-polio syndrome (PPS) is a condition that affects polio survivors years after recovery from an initial acute attack of the poliomyelitis virus. PPS is mainly characterized by new weakening in muscles that were previously affected by the polio infection and in muscles that seemingly were unaffected. Symptoms include slowly progressive muscle weakness, unaccustomed fatigue (both generalized and muscular), and, at times, muscle atrophy. Pain from joint degeneration and increasing skeletal deformities such as scoliosis are common. Some patients experience only minor symptoms. While less common, others may develop visible muscle atrophy, or wasting.

• In India, inspite of number of polio awareness programs being held many kids are suffering from polio, why?
It is because of lack of 100 % coverage of immunization. Polio virus is excreted through stool and gets transmitted to others who haven’t received this vaccine, thereby increasing the coverage area which is also known as herd immunity. Once the herd immunity goes to a level which covers the entire population, hopefully, we won’t have polio cases.

• Any message you want to give our readers on the World polio day (24th Oct, 2009)?
Polio has been eradicated from most parts across the world except in few countries & unfortunately India is one of them. We definitely don’t want to be among those countries carrying the stigma of polio with us. Hope we are able to eradicate it completely through awareness, campaigns, most importantly vaccination.

Related Posts

1. Grab a Jab against Typhoid
2. The Silent Killer—Cervical Cancer
3. Adults Need Vaccination Too!
4. Combat Cervical Cancer
5. Each Drop Counts of Pure Water