UP firm on polio vaccine cold chain

Lucknow, Mar 8 (UNI) learning from past pulse polio campaigns, Uttar Pradesh has constituted a team of four divisional coordinators to ensure, the vital cold chain of the polio vaccines is maintained in subsequent immunisation drives.

Addressing a news conference here this afternoon, Uttar Pradesh Medical Department Principal Secretary Arun Kumar Mishra said these coordinators would keep in close contact with state level medical and health officials and report promptly any discrepancy in this regard.

Last year, some children had died in the aftermath of polio drop administration in UP, which had brought the state health administration and the efficacy and safety of the doses under cloud.

''These cases are under investigation to ascertain if the incidents occurred due to break in cold chain,'' he added.

UP and Bihar have the highest incidence of fresh polio cases in the country and represent the worst polio infested pockets in the world.

In the last two months of the current year, Bihar has accounted for five fresh polio cases, followed by UP at three, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra comprise one case each.

In UP, fresh polio cases were detected in Faizabad, Badaun and Saharanpur districts.

''The forthcoming assembly election in UP would not pose much problem in polio immunisation drives and would maintain a gap of about 10 days from polling dates,'' Mr Mishra said replying to a query.

He informed several round of polio immunisation programmes will be held this year to eradicate the disease.

Meanwhile, a state-level seven-member Muslim Ulema Committee has been constituted under the auspices of Rotary International to persuade a section of the minority community, which is averse to the anti-polio campaigns due to myths and apprehensions, to participate in eradicating the disease.

The committee comprises prominent Muslim religious leaders from the Shia and Sunni sects.

Besides, district-level committees in all the 70 districts of UP have been formed to coordinate with the state-level body.

Mr Mishra further observed that the support of media was vital for creating awareness among the people and generate a positive approach towards the anti-polio drives.

UNI