As a preventive measure to retain the polio-free status, India’s central government has encouraged states and union territories to screen persons from 11 countries that are still endemic with the polio virus. The Union Health Ministry issued these calls to action earlier in May to travelers visiting or coming from these countries.
India has not confirmed a single case of polio due to wild poliovirus since 13 January 2011, and the Southeast Asia region, including India, was certified polio-free on 27 March 2014. The countries that are said to be infected with polio include Afghanistan, Pakistan, Cameroon, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Madagascar, Congo, DR Congo, Somalia, and Syria.
To prevent the spread of the poliovirus into the country, travelers from the given countries are administered an oral polio vaccine or an inactivated polio vaccine before they can travel.
Meena Srivastava, joint secretary at the Union Health Ministry, wrote a letter to state officials on September 3 regarding the states’ inability to follow the vaccination protocol to carry out vaccinations for travelers coming in and going out of the country. The letter also stressed that in order to avoid quarantining, travelers needed to get a vaccination certificate from the health authorities where they were from.
To counter the shortfalls of vaccines in the countries that require them, India has found a way of stocking vaccines at border posts. The district immunization officers have been directed to make available the OPV and IPV together with other κον्क के AlloyS and relevant mater货s at the points of entry {‘Entry point ‘} and other vaccinated centers {‘Vaccination center ‘}. The letter extends direct compliance to the state and union territory officials to enforce these advisories.
