India

“The progress towards interrupting poliovirus transmission in India is real…the opportunity to eradicate polio from India has never been better.” India Expert Advisory Group, July 2011

Monthly Update

December 2011- January 2012

• India has not reported any case of polio since January 2011 when a toddler in West Bengal was paralyzed by the virus. Through its commitment to polio eradication, India is proving that the disease is conquerable.
• On January 22nd National Immunization Days were launched and a number of campaigns will follow throughout the year to sustain the country’s current progress.
• Two consecutive days training to introduce CGPP staff to Data Quality Improvement tools was conducted from December 19-22 in four districts in Lucknow. The training was to orientate project staff from the four districts on the newly developed tools to improve the quality of data monitoring as they execute the project. Participants from the four districts outlined action plans for rolling out the new tools in their various districts at the end of the workshop training.
• CGPP also organized a district level influencer meeting on the December 25, 2011 in Mau district at Amarwani center in Tajopur. The event was inaugurated by the District Magistrate with 250 participants. All the Influencers pledged their continued support and participation towards booth and house- to -house immunization activities.

September-November 2011

• It has been more than 11 months since India’s last polio case in West Bengal, (onset of paralysis, Jan. 13) the longest polio-free period in India’s history. Both endemic states of Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar have not reported any polio cases for more than a year. No wild poliovirus (WPV) has been detected by environmental surveillance in Delhi, Mumbai or Patna in 2011. However, until India passes the current height of transmission season without recording any cases, it is not certain that WPV transmission has been interrupted.
• The government has taken a major step towards preventing the importation of the virus from China by setting up immunization booths at major border crossings in the country.
• Over 75 million children were immunized against the crippling virus during the sub national immunization day (SNID) that took place on Sept. 25. India’s last vaccination round for 2011occurred on Nov. 13 children were vaccinated with bOPV in high-risk areas (parts of west Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Gujarat and Maharashtra). India is presently experiencing a shortage of vaccines, which is threatening to compromise the extent of coverage for the January 2012 immunization exercise.
• CGPP trained field staff in Gurgaon, (Oct. 10-15). CGPP India also organized a Training of Master Trainers workshop (Sept 13-16) and a Mobilizer training in West Bengal. The annual retreat also took place on the Sept. 5-9.

August 2011

• There has been no new case reported since Jan.13, 2011 when one case was reported in West Bengal. In Mumbai, Delhi, and Patna, environmental sampling showed that no virus has been detected in that area in the last seven months.
• A workshop was conducted to review the risk assessment and emergency plans of each state. There was a high profile visit from the director of US Centers for Disease Control, Thomas Frieden, and a US congressional delegation; together, they reviewed the functionality of AFP detection in Ghaziabad. The high risk season for the viral transmission has begun and it is coinciding with the religious festivals period which means increased movement and possibly increased risk of viral transmission.
• SNIDs kicked off Aug. 28 in parts of West Bengal, Utter Pradesh, Punjab, Delhi and Rajatsthan.
• CGPP India supported a three day training for MIS coordinators from Aug. 17-20 on LQAS (Lot Quality Assurance Sampling)- data entering and basic analysis in Lucknow, and 12 people participated in the training. They reviewed types of  information and data frequently collected and analyzed by MIS coordinators.

July 2011

• India has gone more than seven months without reporting a single case.
• An aggressive strategy to ensure the cessation of polio transmission was decided upon by the Indian Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) at their meeting on July 13-14. The IEAG agreed on a set of measures designed to ensure that no polio cases are overlooked and no children are missed by vaccinators.
• The IEAG called upon the government of India to expand surveillance. Plans to expand environmental surveillance into Kolkata, West Bengal will be completed by end 2011 with further expansion in other high risk states recommended for 2012. Reviews of surveillance quality will continue, with the focus on improving sensitivity among migrant populations. The government pledged its ongoing support to do whatever it takes to eradicate the virus. This support will be crucial as India now heads into the high season for polio transmission.
• CGPP/India provided NID/SNID mop up and routine immunization support. CGPP staff attended the CORE Unicef  W. Bengal partners meeting on July 7. The NGO members met with CORE to review the progress of work done in the last three months and discuss the impact of the coordinated effort as part of Unified Response Plan and to discuss future partnership through ADRA India. The CGPP Secretariat team also participated in the DMC-SRC Meeting (July 19-21) in Maharastra. Findings and recommendations of the Independent Monitoring Board were discussed and applied to CGPP India. CGPP Secretariat staff also participated in the UN polio Partners Meeting on July 28 in Moradabad, where partner updates were shared and next steps identified.

May/June 2011

• No new cases of wild polio virus have been reported in West Bengal (the only state reporting cases this year) since January 13, 2011. All cases in 2011 have been in West Bengal this year, making the locations a focal point even though it’s not a traditional epicenter of polio in India. The new West Bengal Chief Minister commits to provide the necessary leadership to ensure an effective outbreak response is implemented in the state. She also launched the latest immunization activities in the state on June 26.
• CGPP India continues their support of the emergency outbreak response (by the invitation of UNICEF) to the one new case of wild poliovirus in W. Bengal. This work includes supporting immunization efforts lead by the MOH with a focus on social mobilization.
• Training was given to 54 staff members by 4 CORE master trainers with 3 sub-regional coordinators participating as facilitators. The main focus was LQAS (Lot Quality Assurance Sampling) (May 5-7). 69 Mobilizers were also trained by CORE master trainers from Uttar Pradesh (May 6-7)

January- April 2011

• India reported no new cases of wild poliovirus in January.  The total number for 2010 also remained at 42 with Uttar Pradesh (location of all CGPP project areas) reporting no new WPV cases since April 2010.
• India held a National Immunization Day (NID) in late January whereby all children under five years of age were slated will receive two drops of oral polio vaccine.  The NID included all CGPP project areas.
• Community mobilization for participation in campaign and routine immunization activities and for the adoption of behaviors that prevent the spread of wild poliovirus forms the core of the CGPP in India. Among other mobilization activities conducted during the first quarter, CGPP community mobilizers hosted nearly 6,500 group meetings with mothers and other key groups (e.g. mothers-in-law), held nearly 450 meetings with community members holding positions of influence, and coordinated over 1,500 rallies in which school children drummed up awareness for polio campaigns.

• From February through April, India reported one case of wild poliovirus, in West Bengal. Uttar Pradesh, traditional epicenter and exporter of the virus and home to CGPP implementation areas, has not confirmed a WPV case for more than a year.
• Supplementary Immunization Activities were held in each of the three months, including a National Immunization Day in late February and mop-up campaigns targeting West Bengal in February and April. 
• At UNICEF’s request, the CGPP-India has joined the emergency outbreak response to wild poliovirus in West Bengal.  CGPP-India Secretariat staff will coordinate with local NGOs in high-priority areas of West Bengal on a short-term basis.
  

September 2010

• In September, the 2010 wild poliovirus case count remained at 10 for Uttar Pradesh, home to the CGPP's 58 implementation blocks.  Five cases were reported elsewhere in India, bringing India's total WPV case count to 37 for the year.  For the same period in 2009, India reported 367 cases, of which 250 were reported in UP. 
• The CGPP Secretariat and partners prepared for polio campaigns in the entire CGPP catchment area in mid-September.  Severe flooding, however, prevented the successful implementation of campaign activities in some areas. 95 percent of currently deployed Community Mobilization Coordinators attended three-day training events in their respective districts in September.  Included in the updated training schedule were revised messages and activities to address areas of weakness identified in the midterm evaluation.  CMCs working in the 14 highest-risk blocks received intensive training on the use of newly developed Behavior Change Communication materials and the implementation of special activities to support the Government of India's 107-Block Plan.