Parting away with its title of being the epicenter of the dreadful disease polio, India has today completed 12 months without a single case being registered of the poliovirus.

After elimination of India from the list of highly polio affected countries, the list will now be reduced to only three countries, viz. Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, which is great achievement.

The Government of India was honored by Global Health Leaders on 12 January 2012 for the support, leadership and financial guarantees made for the Polio eradication efforts. India has been one of the largest contributors towards The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI).

The Government of India had started working towards the goal of Global Polio eradication in 1988 and since then the effort made by India and the reports of eradication have been positively increasing. Two national Immunization campaigns were organized each year, in which more than 170 million children under the age of 5 years, across the country were given doses of oral polio vaccine.

Polio, a highly infectious viral disease mainly affecting young children was a major issue for India. The virus is transmitted through contaminated food and water, and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system.

Poliovirus, being a communicable disease can easily travel to polio-free areas. Originating from India, Polio eradication from the country itself will ensure its less frequent transmission and save the life of millions of children from all across the globe.

To be very sure of the complete riddance of the disease, the measures taken to eradicate Polio must go on through supplementary immunization activities and improved routine immunization as there is still a risk of reoccurrence of the disease.