The Union Government on 30 November 2015 launched the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) as part of its commitment to the Global Polio Endgame Strategy.
IPV will roll-out to 126 countries which are using only OPV in the National program and it will be the largest and fastest globally-coordinated vaccine introduction project in history.
It is part of next step in India’s universal immunization program to fight against polio in the country.
IPV in India is a historic moment and will further cement India’s achievements on polio. It is necessary step to eradicate polio virus from the world.
Important highlights of the Initiative
- This is landmark step to provide double protection to children and securing gains of polio eradication.
- The Government of India is introducing IPV into its routine immunization program along with oral polio vaccine.
- IPV and OPV together will further strengthen the children’s immune system and will provide double protection against polio.
- In, the first phase this vaccine will be introduced in six states, that includes, Assam, Gujarat, Punjab, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
- IPV injection will be given to children below one year of age along with the third dose of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) at the routine immunization sessions free of cost.
- The introduction of IPV in routine immunization is as per recommendation made in World Health Assembly in May 2015 and endorsed by Global Polio Endgame Strategy.
Project “Indradhanush”
- Health Minister said that, “Government of India is ensuring that every last child in the country is benefited by the immunization programme.”
- To achieve this, “Mission Indradhanush” was launched in unidentified high and medium focus districts across the country in two phases.
- Phase-1 of “Mission Indradhanush” has been completed where more than 75 lakh children were vaccinated, of which about 20 lakh children were fully vaccinated. Phase-2 has also started from 7th October’2015,in 352 districts.
India – A Polio Free Country
On 27 March 2014, India was certified polio-free.
The immunization programme continues in the country because two of its neighbours, Pakistan and Afghanistan, remain polio-endemic and due to the threat of vaccine-derived polio.
