Q4(a). What is Polio? Enumerate at least four steps taken by the government to eradicate Polio.

“Polio anywhere is a threat to children everywhere.” -WHO, 2014

Polio (Poliomyelitis) is a highly infectious viral disease caused by the wild poliovirus. It mainly affects children under 5 years, spreads through the fecal–oral route, and can lead to permanent paralysis or death if the virus invades the nervous system. Before eradication efforts, India reported over 2,000 cases annually.

Key Steps Taken by the Government to Eradicate Polio

1. Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI): Launched in 1995, providing Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to all children below 5 years through mass immunization drives. India administered 170 million doses annually at the peak of the program.
2. National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP): Conducted in collaboration with WHO, establishing 30,000 reporting units to track Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), environmental samples, and virus transmission routes. This ensured early detection and rapid response.
3. Switch from Trivalent to Bivalent OPV and Introduction of IPV: In 2016, India shifted to bivalent OPV and simultaneously introduced Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) to reduce vaccine-derived polio risks, following the Global Polio Endgame Strategy.
4. Intensive Immunization in High-Risk Areas: Migrant hubs, slums, and border regions received special attention with “Booth and House-to-House” strategy. Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, once high-burden states, were targeted through rapid vaccination and social mobilisation.
5. Community Mobilization & IEC Campaigns: Collaboration with UNICEF, schools, panchayats, and religious leaders built trust. The slogan “Do Boond Zindagi Ki” became a national movement.

Haryana achieved near 100% immunization coverage through village-level ASHA workers, mobile vaccination teams, and monitoring at bus stands and railway stations. Karnal and Panipat districts led targeted surveillance near migrant clusters.

India was officially declared Polio-free in 2014 by WHO a historic public health achievement.