Polio-free Bihar not a dream anymore

PATNA: It is a long drawn battle. But now it seems that it is nearing its end and the day is not far off when Bihar too will be declared a `polio-free’ state.

In fact, after a major polio outbreak in the country during 2006, it is for the first time that two of the country’s most vulnerable states — Bihar and UP — have been able to contain the spread of all types of polio virus, with not a single wild polio virus (WPV) being reported for the last six months.

“However, the most encouraging news is that despite being the epicentre of wild type polio virus 1 (P-1), the state has not reported a single P-1 case after November 2009. This has happened for the first time in the last 12 years,” said State Health Society executive director (ED) Dr Sanjay Kumar.

“Six P3 cases were detected in Januray 2010 in which five were in Samastipur and one in Begusarai district. But the P3 is not deadly like P1,” added the official.

“While P2 has already been eliminated. We are close to eradication of PI and P3 also, but one can’t be sure.” said Dr Kumar.

“The monsoon is yet to attain fury and once it does there are 41 high risk blocks in the Kosi belt and if these areas remain polio-free during this season, we will definitely overcome the final hurdle,” Kumar said.

According to WHO data, Bihar reported 117 cases in 2009 compared to 233 in 2008 and 503 cases in 2007.

Behind this achievement, health experts see the role of newly introduced bivalent polio vaccine (BoPV). Asked about its success, Kumar said, “BoPV seems to be building on the strong progress and foundation laid by MoPV 1. It seems to be effective in curtailing the transmission of type 1 and 3.”

“Six months break in polio virus circulation across the state is certainly an encouraging news for all of us. Bivalent vaccine, which has two types of existing viruses, is also one of the reasons for this achievement,” said Unicef health specialist Sherin Verky.

However, recently one case of P1 was reported in Murshidabad district of West Bengal and it is being blamed as a virus strain which came from Bihar, said the ED.

According to WHO National Polio Surveillance Project (NPSP), “There has been no case of wild polio virus in India for the last several months. What is significant is that it is for the first time there has been no case of type 1 polio in UP and Bihar simultaneously for such a long period.”