India shows the way for other polio-endemic nations
Author: Kundan Pandey
When the WHO South East Asia region receives the certificate for being polio free on Thursday, it would be an accomplishment that until a few years ago was considered a pipe dream-mainly because of the large number of cases that continued to be reported from India.
Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia
Author: Kundan Pandey
For over two decades she served as a civil servant in India as member of the Indian Administrative Services. She was the health secretary of Punjab. After stints at the World Bank and WHO, she joined the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as advisor for international health in February 2013. She speaks to Kundan Pandey on polio eradication in India
Deepak Kapur, chairperson of Rotary's India National PolioPlus Committee
Author: Kundan Pandey
After huge struggles, India has finally become entitled to polio-free certification from the World Health Organization. What lessons does the country offer to the world, especially in struggles against communicable diseases?
Jagannath Chatterjee on how numbers and word jugglery hide the real story behind polio campaign
Author: Jagannath Chatterjee
Polio, traditionally synonymous with paralysis and disability, has been given a new name in India. It is now known as NPAFP or non polio acute flaccid paralysis. This and the fact that cases of polio caused by the oral polio vaccine (OPV) are not being reflected as polio have ensured that India is now declared "polio free" and is being showcased as a success story of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative that was launched in 1988 by the World Health Assembly.
Rukhshar Khatun is the last child to contract the disease in the country
Author: Kundan Pandey
Featured in many national and international programmes and media reports, Rukhshar Khatun has now become a symbol of India's fight and victory over polio.
Son of a farmer, his family spent more than it could afford on his treatment
Author: Kundan Pandey
"I was suffering from high fever when my family rushed me to local doctors. Within 24 hours, I lost my ability to stand on my feet and a doctor soon confirmed that it was polio," says 38-year-old Vinod Kumar Thakur.
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