Polio vaccination: A must for travel
As India celebrates its victory on polio, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, recently announced that all travellers coming to India from seven polio endemic countries and those with polio virus circulation, will be required to
We have tried to eradicate the disease in various areas. This is similar to the policy that requires travellers to get yellow fever vaccination when travelling to certain countries
India has completed three years without wild polio virus being detected. However, the virus continues to circulate in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. There have also been recent outbreaks following importation in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Syria. Since 2000, more than 45 countries that were earlier polio-free had wild polio virus importations. Thus, India faces a risk of importation of polio virus importations. To mitigate this risk, all such travellers are required to take a dose of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).
These mandatory requirements for travel will be effective from March 1, 2014. An OPV vaccination certificate will be issued after this additional dose, and will be valid for a period of 1 year. Indian residents travelling to these seven countries are required to take a dose of OPV at least four weeks prior to departure, regardless of age and vaccination status. Passengers in transit through polio-infected countries do not need additional OPV dose.
“I have, on behalf of Rotary Club, tried to eradicate the disease in various areas. This is similar to the policy that requires travellers to get yellow fever vaccination when travelling to certain countries,” said Subhash Goyal, President, IATO. All District Immunisation Officers (DIOs) in India have been designated to arrange vaccination with OPV and issue a certificate to travellers. The OPV and certificate will be provided free of cost.
“The government should authorise private hospitals to administer the vaccine to travellers prior to their travel, rather than depend on the government hospitals alone,” he added.