POLIO VACCINE: HOSPITALS TO BE CHECKED

Children’s hospitals and private clinics are being checked by health officials in Hyderabad and RR to identify who is using the trivalent strain of polio vaccine despite the ban on it. The presence of type 2 vaccine derived polio virus in the Amberpet and Nagole drains detected on August 28 has put officials in a fix as it means that the trivalent strain is still being used.

A senior paediatrician said, “Quacks or RMPs may have dumped the trivalent strain and they are using it on children who are not visiting government hospitals.”

This is the second time the strain was found in the city drain which has made officials jittery as it clearly indicates a lapse in surveillance. A senior health officer explained, “With the huge presence of pharma companies in and around the city the old stock of the banned strain is still circulating in the market. Drug control officers have been asked to check the same. Health officials have to find out where people are opting for this banned strain.”

The presence of it in the drain shows that the virus still exists in the environment. The ground team consists of maternal health and anganwadi workers and those who are in the National Rural Health Mission. They maintain an account of children who are coming for vaccination. A senior officer explained, “It's a difficult task but checking cold chains will give us an idea of who is still maintaining the old stock.”