MEASLES, POLIO

  • November 7, 2020
  • Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
  • Category: DPN Topics
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Subject : Health

Context : UNICEF , WHO warns of Measles , Polio Outbreak threat due to COVID disruptions.

Concept :

Measles

  • It is a highly contagious viral disease and is a cause of death among young children globally.
  • It is particularly dangerous for children from the economically weaker background, as it attacks malnourished children and those with reduced immunity.
  • It can cause serious complications, including blindness, encephalitis, severe diarrhoea, ear infection and pneumonia.
  • The Measles & Rubella Initiative, a global program, aims at eliminating both these diseases.
  • The vaccine for the diseases are provided in the form of measles-rubella (MR), measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), or measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) combination.

Polio

  • Polio is a crippling and potentially fatal viral infectious disease.
  • There is no cure, but can be prevented through immunization.
  • The strategy to eradicate polio is therefore based on preventing infection by immunizing every child until transmission stops.
  • There are two types of vaccines to prevent infection.
  • OPV (Oral Polio Vaccine): It is given orally as a birth dose for institutional deliveries, then primary three doses at 6, 10 & 14 weeks and one booster dose at 16-24 months of age.
  • Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV): It is introduced as an additional dose along with the 3rd dose of DPT under the universal immunization programme (UIP).
  • India received polio-free certification by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2014.
  • Eradication of a disease refers to the complete and permanent worldwide reduction to zero new cases of an infectious disease through deliberate efforts. If a disease has been eradicated, no further control measures are required. For eg- smallpox has been eradicated.
  • However, elimination of a disease refers to reduction to zero (or a very low defined target rate) of new cases of an infectious disease in a defined geographical area. Elimination requires continued measures to prevent re-establishment of disease transmission. Yaws and Leprosy have been eliminated from India.
Health MEASLES POLIO