PUDUCHERRY: There has been no case of polio in Puducherry and Karaikal regions in the last eight years, according to S. Saravanan, Surveillance officer, National Polio Surveillance Project.

The last case was reported in Puducherry during 1998, he told reporters.

Dr. Saravanan, who is in-charge for the two regions and six districts of Tamil Nadu, including Villupuram and Cuddalore, said since the country was grouped under `endemic transmission area,' with incidents of polio still reported from many States, health officials have to be on guard.

He said there were no reports of any polio case even from Cuddalore and Villupuram during the period.

Apart from constantly monitoring the situation, the States have been asked to target migrating population from endemic areas. As per this, the children of migrant labourers are given regular immunisation and polio vaccines, he said.

Most endemic area

The most endemic area was Uttar Pradesh and Bihar followed by Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

These States due to its high birth rate and poor hygienic condition in which people live were not able to control it at the desired level, he said.

The World Health Organisation had clubbed India with Pakistan and Afghanistan as polio endemic countries in the Southeast Asian region. The WHO only declares a region as polio-free and a country. So far, the U.S., Europe and Western Pacific Region's have been declared as polio-free, he informed.

For declaring a region polio-free there should not be any incidence for three consecutive years.

Continuing Medical Education programme

He was talking to reporters after attending a Continuing Medical Education programme at Aarupadai Veedu Medical College here on Tuesday.

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