Polio-free India – 5 amazing facts about the journey that helped us eradicate polio

India’s victory against polio is arguably the most amazing healthcare feat the world has ever witnessed. Most experts felt that India with its huge population, poor healthcare services and numerous other hurdles would remain the most polio-endemic region in the world. But the nation hasn’t reported a new case since early 2011, which led WHO Director-General Margaret Chan to remark: ‘India has shown the world that there is no such thing as impossible.’ Here are 5 facts about India’s journey to being a polio-free country:

India had the most number of polio cases

According to the WHO, India accounted for 40,000 polio cases in 1980s and even in 2002, only UP accounted for 2/3rd of the world’s polio cases. While polio was eradicated in the Americas by 1991, Europe by 1998 and by 2011 only 44 cases were reported worldwide, mostly in Pakistan, India hasn’t reported a new case since 2011. 

It was the largest PPP initiative in the world

The polio eradication movement was a joint effort between the Indian government, WHO, Rotary, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Polio Initiative and various other NGOs. It involved around two million staff who vaccinated around 170 million throughout the country on two dates per year, to finally help wipe out the disease.

Celebrities gave the campaign a voice

The government’s massive campaign was called ‘Do Boond Zindagi Ki’ pulse polio campaign and celebrities played a major part in it including Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar and even Jackie Shroff (whose blooper from a 1998 campaign went viral in 2012). Amitabh participated in numerous campaigns shouting at people ‘Sharm aani chaahiye humein! (We should be ashamed)’.  These campaigns went a long way in educating people about polio, particularly those from lower socio-economic groups. 

Everyone came together for a great cause

Most experts believed that India would be the last country to eradicate polio. There were just too many hurdles – poor healthcare services, a huge population, lack of awareness, religious beliefs, geographical barriers and a host of other problems. However, everyone managed to roll up their sleeves and join together to fight the scourge of polio – religious leaders urged their communities to get the children vaccinated; volunteers reached every nook and cranny of the country; parents turned up with their children for massive vaccination drives and celebrities lent their voice to the cause.

We still have to remain vigilant

India still lies adjacent to Pakistan which is the most polio epidemic region in the world, and there still might be some unreported cases. Because of this, India needs to remain very vigilant and to remain polio-free, we must make sure that every child gets the polio vaccine drops. 

Source- http://www.thehealthsite.com/healthcare/polio-free-india-5-amazing-facts-about-the-journey-that-helped-us-eradicate-polio-n214/