India has completely eradicated polio
The World Health Organization is preparing to declare India a polio-free country next February, three years after the last case of the disease was recorded in the country.
It is noteworthy that there is a certain official period during which no cases of infection with the disease must appear in order for the World Health Organization to declare that a country is free of it.
This achievement is a major success for the health sector in India, which had the most cases of the disease in the world until recently.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, RBN Singh, said on his Twitter page: “It is a proud day for us as Indians, as India has been free of polio for three years,” according to what the “DPA” agency reported.
Ministry of Health spokeswoman Mansha Verma said that this achievement is due to the strong vaccination program, adding that the World Health Organization will officially announce the news on February 11, after confirming the necessary data that no new cases have been recorded.
“India was previously considered the most difficult country to eradicate the disease from,” the Global Polio Eradication Initiative said in a statement.
It is noteworthy that the last case of the disease was recorded on January 13, 2011 in the state of West Bengal, and the World Health Organization removed India from the list of countries where this disease is considered an epidemic.
The disease is still considered an official epidemic in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria.
