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Urgent tasks on the polio front

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss' decision to call an emergency meeting of Health Ministers and officials of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana — the States that have seen a recent resurgence of polio — reflects the Central Government's commitment to the eradication of the paralysing disease. The number of new polio cases in India this year until September 15 was 297. The dimensions of the emerging crisis were underlined in a letter that U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in which he sought swift action to contain the virus. Last week, the World Health Organisation pointed out that India was "actively exporting" the polio virus to Nepal, Bangladesh, and some African countries. Although Nigeria, Pakistan, and Afghanistan also account for significant numbers, most of the newly reported cases have apparently been caused by a strain that is present only in India.

This reflects a sad squandering of the good work done over the years on the eradication front through an efficacious Pulse Polio programme operated with the aid of Rotary International, UNICEF and others, and backed by a dedicated media campaign. Considering that India had managed to bring the number of cases down to 66 in 2005 from a high of 1,600 in 2002, it would seem to be a case of euphoria having turned into complacency. Many children evidently missed the prevention drive in late 2005 and early 2006. Out of this year's all-India total of 297 cases, 269 are in Uttar Pradesh and an estimated 69 per cent of these are from the Muslim community. The State Government has evidently not been able to implement the immunisation programme effectively. Significantly, Uttar Pradesh Family Welfare Minister Ahmed Hasan recently spoke of the need to co-opt Muslim clerics to clear certain misperceptions relating to the Pulse Polio programme — that it was part of a "plot" to reduce birth rates in a targeted group. Fuelling such unfounded notions in a region where the literacy level is low are some local newspapers that highlight the fiction, and posters that urge Muslim families not to let their children be vaccinated. There have been reports of health workers being barred entry into certain areas, even being manhandled. An awareness-educational drive with the cooperation of the enlightened sections of the community is clearly warranted to reverse the distressing trend: after all, Muslims in other parts of the country have obviously benefited from the programme. As suggested by Mr. Hasan, community leaders could be asked to inaugurate polio-administering campaigns. This is a situation that calls for sensitive, and also firm, handling. And the task can hardly wait. The future and the well being of so many children are at risk and there is a need to reach out to every child under the age of five on a war footing through an integrated campaign.

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