Given that every time a polio case is reported there are a flurry of accusations against the immunisation drive, what needs to be realised is that until a child is fully immunised, he/she is still at risk from polio. So it’s important to immunise each child under five during every round and ensure that all are given the vaccine at the same time.

What is the track record of the polio immunisation drive in India?

The campaign has made tremendous progress. Before the launch of the global programme in 1988, India had, on an average, two to four lakh cases every year, which has now been reduced to a few hundred.

How many new cases have been reported?

This year, 281 cases of polio have been reported, with Uttar Pradesh leading with 223, followed by Bihar 40, Andhra Pradesh 5, Uttarakhand 4, Haryana 3, Maharashtra 2, and one each from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi and Orissa.

Source: Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare