Injectable polio vaccine included in immunisation programme

The public health department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now gone ahead to include injectable polio vaccine (IPV) alongwith oral drops in the routine immunisation programme to provide dual protection to children from the disease.
It was decided that IPV be included in the vaccination programme from April 25 following guidelines given to the Maharashtra Family Welfare department by the Union Health Ministry, a statement issued by the civic body said.
The IPV (injectable polio vaccine) is administered as intradermal injection of 0.1 ml dose. Simultaneous immunisation by oral polio vaccine and injectable polio vaccine will give dual protection to children and community. It will prevent re-infection & reactivation of polio disease," the statement said.

It further said that in order to eradicate polio completely, extra doses of oral polio vaccine will be administered to children of under the age group of five during every pulse polio campaign in addition to the oral and injectable polio vaccine doses in routine immunisation.
The BMC has made available the facility of injectable polio immunisation free of cost at all civic health facilities such as health posts, dispensaries and hospitals.
The civic administration has also appealed to all parents to actively participate in this programme by vaccinating their children with injectable polio vaccine and protect them from this dreaded disease.

The World Health Organisation had declared India as polio free on March 27, 2014. But still polio is prevalent today in some of the neighbouring countries. Globally, the threat of polio disease transmission is there even if a single patient is found infected by polio virus.