Immunisation drives work, Bihar polio free since three years

Bihar has not reported a single case of polio in the last three years and has virtually remained polio free since August 2010, an official said on Monday.

State Health Secretary Sanjay Kumar, who is also executive director of Bihar State Health Society, said Bihar has achieved a near polio free region as it has not recorded a single case of the disease.

"But Bihar have to wait till January 14, 2014, to become a polio free officially, when India will be declared polio free," Kumar said.

Kumar said that no reports of P1 and P3 cases -- types of polio virus -- have been reported since September 2010. The last polio case was reported in the state in September 2010. 

“We have tried our best to focus on a polio free Bihar. It will be big news for us if we get rid of polio,” Kumar said.

According to an official of the World Health Organisation, three years of absence of polio cases, caused by the wild polio virus, coupled with intense surveillance, is essential before India can be declared polio-free in January 2014.

Kumar admitted that Bihar has remained polio-free for three years, thanks to the state government’s commitment supported by development partners in the polio eradication programme.

Since December 1995, 45 pulse polio immunisation rounds have been conducted in Bihar. Kumar said special immunisation drives will continue.

In 2009, 117 polio cases were reported in Bihar while the figure was over 300 in 2008. In 2010, nine polio cases were recorded before September. Till 2009, Bihar had the second highest number of polio cases in the country after Uttar Pradesh.