The recommendation of the 2nd National Consultative Meeting of the IAP on Polio Eradication (PE) has been published in the Journal(1). It seems appropriate at this time to look at what was accomplished by the 1st consultation(2). Last time, the committee suggested that India stockpile vaccine ‘now’ (as if the imported live-vaccine has an indefinite shelf-life) so that the country is ‘no longer dependent on the WHO’ if there is a resurgence of the disease. There was no protest in the journal about the illogical recommendation. It was simply ignored by the membership and the Government of India (GOI).

This year the committee says the GOI must take urgent measures to attain 90% coverage with UIP vaccines by the end of 2008, ‘if the goal of polio eradication is to be achieved’. At present the committee says 38% children are fully immunized)(3). Does anyone imagine 90% immunization is possible by the year-end? Are we to infer that polio eradication is not possible just as 90% coverage under routine immunization (RI) by 2008 is not achievable?

PE was started with the goal to eradicate the virus by 2000 so that ‘children need not be immunized perpetually(4)’ It is now accepted that even if PE is successful (defined as absence of circulation of wild polio virus for 3 years) polio immunization will still be needed perpetually. The reason is that we now know that local strains of poliovirus can resurface decades after PE(5). International organizations spearheading the campaign for PE had seriously miscalculated and they will be keen to defect the blame (on to the GOI or any one else) for its failure. It is unfortunate that the IAP should participate in this game plan to lay blame on the GOI.

1. Shah NK, John TJ, Thacker N, Vashistha VM, Kalra A, Ugra D. Polio eradication strategies in India: Recommendation under IAP action plan 2006. Indian Pediatr 2006; 43: 1057-1059.

2. Polio Eradication Committee; Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Vashishtha VM, Kalra A, John TJ, Thacker N, Agarwal RK. Recommendations of 2nd National Consultative Meeting of Indian Academy of Pediatrics (IAP) on polio eradication and improvement of routine immunization. Indian Pediatr 2008; 45: 367-378.

3. Multiple Indicator Survey-2000 (MICS-2000) India Summary Report November 2001. From: http://www.childinfo.org/MICS2/newreports/india/india.pdf. Accessed 27 May, 2008.

4. Planning Commission. Tenth Five Year Plan (2002-2007) Volume 2: Sectoral Policies and Programmes, Family Welfare. New Delhi: Government of India, undated.