Uttar Pradesh government worried about fresh polio cases

Lucknow, Aug 7 (UNI) Concerned over the sudden recurrence of polio cases in the state, the Uttar Pradesh government has launched a door-to-door survey to ensure that every child is covered under the polio drops category.

About one hundred suspected cases of polio have come to light during the short span of last three months in various districts, including two in the state capital of Lucknow. Many of these suspected cases have tested positive and ironacilly all of them had been administered the drops during pulse polio drive in the state.

Out of these, as many as 18 fresh polio cases had been reported during the last one week, the health officials said.

UP government officials along with the team of World Health Organisation (WHO) representatives have been engaged to undertake the survey and cover all the 3.92 crore children in the category on a war footing.

The figures shocked the state government because the trend was downward since 2002 when as many as 1242 polio cases had been reporterd from various districts of the state. But the trend was arrested the polio cases were brought down to 88 in 2003, 82 in 2004 and 29 in 2005.

Now in 2006, various districts like Moradabad, Hardoi, Lucknow and Mainpuri had reported several cases of polio. ''Moradabad district has the highest number of polio cases with as many as 49 cases reported from there alone,'' Dr L B. Prasad, UP Director General of Family Welfare told UNI here.

Dr Prasad said it was being ascertained as to how the polio recurrence was reported despite the very successful pulse polio campaign in the state. ''We would now make every possible effort to ensure that all 3.92 crore children are immunised,'' he said.

The total polio cases from the entire Moradabad division comprising the district of Moradabad, Bijnore, Rampur and Jyotiba Phule Nagar have risen to 85, certainly a disturbing factor for the authorities who are claiming to eradicate polio menace in the near future.

Meanwhile, the state government was planning yet another pulse polio drive later this month in which 3.92 crore children would be covered for polio drops.

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