WHO to collect sewage samples for polio virus

Patiala, June 18
Despite the fact that no polio case has been reported in India in the last one-and-a-half-year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) will collect sewage samples in all the states to ensure that India is completely free of polio virus and there are no chances of it’s re-surfacing in the country. The WHO has already collected samples from Bihar, Delhi and Mumbai and the next in line is Punjab.

Dr Virinder Singh Mohi said, “Soon after the migratory pulse polio round, which is going on in the state, teams of the WHO will start collecting sewage samples that will be tested for the presence of wild polio virus.” “During a recent meeting in Patiala, we have been informed that they will be focusing on Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Mohali because these are the cities with maximum migratory population,” he said.

Dr Vikal Goyal says after vaccination, polio virus is flushed out of the body but there are chances that the wild virus stays in the sewage. “Therefore, the sewage samples are taken to check presence of polio virus. Apart from testing the presence of wild polio virus, these samples are also an indication of sanitation and hygiene status of the area. If the sample is tested positive for the virus, there are chances that the disease can re-surface any time. Therefore, it is important that besides no reporting of clinical cases, the sewage samples also test negative” he added. A senior functionary in the Health and Family Welfare Department said though India had been struck off the endemic list of polio affected countries as the last case of polio was reported almost one-and-a-half-year ago -- Ruksana in West Bengal in January 2011. “We will still have to wait to complete three years before terming India a polio free nation. If there is no clinical reporting of polio and all sewage samples are tested negative in that period, our mission would be accomplished,” he added.