2 polio cases surface in 20 days

Confirming to the fact that Karan is affected with polio,VK Goel,State Immunization Officer,Punjab,said,“It is confirmed that the child has been affected by polio virus. We keep running our campaigns for eradicating polio under pulse polio campaigns from time to time,but no immunization in the world is 100% disease resistant. “

It needs to be mentioned here that a few days ago,Sanjana,a one-year old child and a resident of Salim Tabri,Ludhiana,was also found affected with polio. However,two more children — one from Mohali and another from Jalandhar — have also been reported affected with Polio in last one and half month.

Dr Puneet Juneja,Medical Officer,at Civil Surgeon Office,Ludhiana,said,“As per the case history and travel history of Karan,he has been given polio drops every time and child has frequently visited Rajsthan with his parents. But he lacks routine immunization.” When asked as to who could be be held responsible,for this,Dr Manorama Awasthi,the District Immunization officer,Ludhiana said,“None is responsible other than public in general who lends deaf ear to what we tell them for the good health of their children.”

She said that the Sanjana also suffered for not going for routine immunization. Dr Awasthi said,“Many a time labour class people start running away when they get to know immunization. And many a time,during the campaign,we come across children all alone at houses as mothers go out for their work. But still we try to spread awareness in detail,although these people do not cooperate.”

When asked as to what preventive measures they are taking now,she said,“Our team visited Jhuggis in Jagraon to check up if any other child was affected with this virus and also to make people aware about it.”

Meanwhile,Dr V K Goel,said,“We run the polio eradication campaign in two phases. One is routine immunization,under which a child is immunized to improve his immunity level. While the second one is eradication campaign,in which a child is given two drops for bringing out the hidden virus of polio,which comes out with stool and disappears two days after coming out. But there can be many reasons as to why a child gets affected with polio even after having administered polio drops. It can be low immunity level of a child also. And if a child is having diarrhea,the hidden virus does not come out. We keep spreading awareness among people that in case the child has diarrhea,they should go for the fresh doze once he recovers from diarrhea. And another reason is that sometimes,the virus of polio which comes out which stool,spreads in the environment in case a child goes for open defaecation.”

Dr Goel,who is also a member of the national committee of polio review,said,“India has witnessed hundered more polio-affected cases surfacing this year as compared to last year. Last year,it was 559 and this year it is 659. The research is going on at national level to know why there has been increase in these cases.”

2.3 lakh children given polio drops

On Wednesday,the District Health department administered pulse polio drops to 2,38000 children by through door-to-door campaign. It was stated by Dr Puneet Juneja,medical officer,Ludhiana.