Pulse Polio 1104894 199503772 2008-03-20T02:30:41Z Vegaswikian 214427 /* See also */ Drop included cat. '''Pulse Polio''' is an [[immunization]] campaign established by the [[government of India]] in 1994 to eradicate [[poliomyelitis]] (polio) in [[India]] by [[Vaccination|vaccinating]] annually all children under age five against [[Poliomyelitis|poliovirus]]. Every child receives a dose of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), a live, attenuated virus which colonises the [[gastrointestinal tract]]. This virus competitively inhibits the wild, disease-causing poliovirus. Not only does this prevent pernicious infection in the [[Host (biology)|host]], it precludes transmission of the wild poliovirus to other hosts. Since poliovirus cannot survive outside a host for more than two weeks, theoretically it would be eradicated, resulting in the eradication of poliomyelitis. The campaign proved to be successful, and the incidence of poliomyelitis in India has decreased dramatically: India recorded 4,791 cases of polio in 1994; 2,489 in 1997; 1,600 in 2002; 225 in 2003; and 135 in 2004. Nevertheless, critics charge that the campaign has seriously encroached on other essential [[public health]] services at times when [[health care]] resources were minimal. ==Sources== *Staff writer. [http://onlypunjab.com/fullstory2k5-insight--status-22-newsID-25278.html "India vaccinates nearly 80 million children."] [http://www.onlypunjab.com/ Onlypunjab.com] 28 February 2005: Health News. '''PULSE''' stands for "Post-resuscitation and Initial Utility in Life saving Efforts" ==See also== *[[Healthcare in India]] *[[Vaccination]] [[Category:Health programmes in India]] [[Category:Poliomyelitis]] {{med-stub}} {{India-gov-mil}}