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January 17, 2003

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"WHO Report Shows Drop in Polio Cases"

Indian Express (www.indian-express.com) (01/16/03)

Polio is on the decline in India's Uttar Pradesh state, according to Jay Wenger, WHO Project Manager of the Independent National Polio Surveillance Project.  Wenger noted in his recent report that monthly statistics have dropped from 334 in September to just 18 in December.  The country's National Health Policy is working to eradicate the disease by 2005 through the efforts of the Ministry's Polio Eradication Program.  Until 2002, the program had been successful in reducing the number of cases, but last year an eruption of over 1,500 cases--1,197 of which were in Uttar Pradesh--was reported as the disease spread to Azamgarh, Aligarh, Moradabad and Hapur. A massive publicity campaign and a revised immunization drive went into immediate effect in August as a result.

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