NEW DELHI: The Independent Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) on polio on Tuesday advised the Government that the next few vaccination rounds must effectively reach the youngest and the most vulnerable children who were not being sufficiently immunised early enough.

The group, comprising independent Indian and international experts, claimed that polio outbreak was on the wane due to excellent coverage of the pulse polio campaigns. It reviewed the epidemiological data, which indicated that over 80 per cent of the children affected this year were less than three years of age. Based on this and other evidence, it concluded that in the unique context of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar an immunity gap in young children was sufficient to sustain transmission.

The coming months would be the country's best chance to stop the virus, with a series of accelerated vaccination campaigns focused on the youngest children in high-risk districts of the two States. "The two recent high-quality campaigns, combined with the `low' season of poliovirus transmission, make the next few months India's best chance to eradicate polio," said IEAG chairman Dr. Jacob John.

Naresh Dayal, Union Health and Family Welfare Secretary, said: "The Government of India will deliver on the important strategies necessary to make this final push succeed. We will continue involving the communities to make sure that every child is vaccinated and lead India into a polio-free future." Religious figures and senior community members played a critical leadership role.

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