Lucknow, Feb 25: Uttar Pradesh tops the world map with the maximum number of polio cases, accounting for around 12 per cent of the fresh polio cases recorded last year. The Rotary International's 'India National Polioplus Society' disclosed this at press conference here yesterday.
A resurgence of polio cases in northern India has sent alarm bells ringing across a country that is one of the last holdouts of the virus in the world. Total polio cases in India shot up by more than six times last year to 1,509, up from 268 in 2001, according to health ministry figures and Uttar Pradesh accounts for 68 per cent of the global polio burden.
The society is conducting a polio awareness programme in the state to creating awareness among the rural masses and the minorities for adopting the cause of polio immunisation to counter the menace.
The Rotary leadership is concerned about the challenge of polio eradication and is engaged full force in the battle. The role of Rotary news in campaigning for and publicising polio eradication is very important. Its objective is to tell people about the frightening form this disease can take, and how important it is to administer just two drops of the polio vaccine. Polio corrective surgery is also another step to be taken concurrently.
Bureau Report