India National PolioPlus

Its volunteers throughout the world have helped organize national immunization days, staffed health stations and have given drops to children.

India Rotary’s India National PolioPlus society (INPPS) has actively been involved in social mobilization, media management, and political, bureaucratic and religious advocacy to make Polio immunization widely acceptable; successfully gaining access to children who have never been reached before is an integral component of Rotary PolioPlus commitment.

In 2010, with an increasing threat of a virus outbreak in Ludhiana, Malegaon, Murshidabad, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Rotary Task Force Committee were formed.

[citation needed] Rotary also makes extensive use of various IEC materials, such as comic books, video vans, banners, and posters, etc.

Deepak Kapur, Rotary’s National PolioPlus chair for India, leads team of volunteers who advocates and supports government to reach marginalized and migrant populations whose children were being missed vaccinated leading to the wild poliovirus surviving in India.

[1] 1580-1350 BC: An Egyptian tablet portrays a priest with a withered leg, suggesting Polio dates back to ancient times and has been paralysing people for centuries.

1948: Thomas Huckle Weller and Frederick Robbins grow poliovirus in cells, for which they later receive Nobel Prize.

1972: Albert Sabin the inventor of OPV in a humanitarian gesture gives strains of Poliovirus to Rotary who further donates these to World Health Organization to increase their availability to developing countries.

1986: Rotary provides US$2.6 million grant to Tamil Nadu (India) for a pilot Polio vaccination campaign.

A pilot Polio immunization activity is conducted in Delhi targeting 1.4 million children in the age groupof 0–3 years.

Identification and immunization of migratory populations to minimize the risk of virus spread from the remaining endemic states.

2009 : The 107 Block Plan identifies highest risk blocks of UP and Bihar for intensified, focused approach addressing polio associated risk factors by promoting routine immunization, hand washing, sanitation, diarrhea management with zinc and ORS and exclusive breast-feeding up to six months of age.

Intensive focus on coverage of migrant populations in brick kilns construction sites, urban slums and in nomadic settlements initiated.

India Expert Advisory Group on polio eradication recommends responding to any wild poliovirus detection as a public health emergency.

Aggressive mopping up vaccination in response to the only case in the country ... 2012: February, Rotary International jointly with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt.

2013: January, en route to regional Polio-free certification in 2014, India completes two years without a case of Polio.

'End Polio Now' on iconic buildings illuminated across popular landmarks like India Gate, Red Fort in Delhi, Taj Ends Land and Kanchiguda Railway Station in Hyderabad amongst others.

Rotary approached senior minority leaders such as the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid and the President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board and was successful in enlisting their support.

In January 2014, India completed three years without a case of Polio and along with 10 SEAR countries was awarded the Southeast Asia Regional Polio-free certification by WHO on 27 March 2014.