Polio virus hits Delhi again
Fifty-five per cent rise since 1998

From Our Correspondent

"The National Capital Territory of Delhi, which indeed originated the Polio eradication campaign in 1994 for whole of the country, is again in the grip of deadly polio virus that cripples a child below the age of five years. Despite a declining trend noticed in other Indian States namely Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, Delhi has registered more than 55 per cent rise in Polio cases since 1998," points out the former Health Minister of Delhi and advisor to the World Health Organisation Regional Director of the South-East Asia Region, Dr. Harsh Vardhan. The only reason of this rise in cases is slackness on part of the health authorities of the Congress-led Government of Delhi as well as inadequate social mobilisation on the part of the State Government to implement the Pulse Polio Programme, he added.

Talking to Organiser Dr. Harsh Vardhan pointed out that Delhi was the only region in South-East Asia where polio cases had increased to such an alarming extent and added that in India Delhi had the highest risk of being afflicted with polio last year. "What is shocking is that about 85 per cent of the polio afflicted cases were of those children who were born in the capital, and majority of them were living in the jhuggi clusters," he said. The eminent ENT surgeon was of the opinion that except Delhi, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the rest of the country appears to be marching close to polio-free status. The Pulse Polio programme has proved to be a triggering point for the initiation of this movement in the rest of India as well as many countries of the South-Eastern region and the world. He informed that by the end of year 2000 more than 190 countries will have interrupted transmission of polio virus.

After the end of 2000 there shall be only 20 countries that shall be at the risk of continued polio virus transmission. At higher risk of polio virus transmission are Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Nigeria, Niger, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Sudan. Dr Harsh Vardhan who had mobilised about 400 voluntary organisations in the campaign when he was the Health Minister, appealed to the voluntary organisations and the people to rise above the party affiliations and ensure the success of the Pulse Polio programme in the coming weeks. Delhi BJP president Mangeram Garg also in a press conference recently called on party rank and file to fan out in areas and ensure that no child aged below five is left from receiving polio drops on September 24, November 5, December 10 and January 21. "BJP workers have been advised to accompany health teams and anganwadi workers in the city who will go house to house for three days to identify children needing polio drops," Shri Garg said.