JP Nadda calls for sustained polio vaccination efforts on World Polio Day 2026

Health minister urges vigilance to protect India's polio-free status

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda has reaffirmed the government's resolve to keep India free from poliovirus, calling for high immunisation coverage and vigilant disease surveillance across all states.

In a message on World Polio Day 2026, Nadda highlighted that India's certification as a polio-free nation by the World Health Organisation in 2014 stands as a major victory for public health. The nation detected its last recorded case of wild poliovirus on 13 January 2011, ending decades of widespread infection through coordinated national immunisation drives.

Nadda stated that through the Universal Immunization Programme and supplementary campaigns, the government continues to supply Oral Polio Vaccine doses to children under five, ensuring coverage extends to remote and underserved populations.

Medical experts explain why vaccination remains essential

Paediatricians and public health specialists backed the health ministry's push for ongoing immunisation, warning that poliovirus remains an international threat. As long as the virus circulates anywhere in the world, cross-border movement leaves unvaccinated groups vulnerable.

Dr Avi Shah, consultant paediatric orthopaedic surgeon at Narayana Health SRCC Children's Hospital in Mumbai, noted that India eliminated local transmission through routine vaccination, robust surveillance, and dedicated health workers. However, because viruses cross national boundaries easily, high community immunity remains the best protection against re-introduction.

Poliovirus primarily infects children under five years of age through contaminated water or food. While many cases remain mild or asymptomatic, the virus can attack the central nervous system, leading to permanent paralytic damage. Medical data shows that between 5% and 10% of paralytic cases prove fatal when the infection immobilises breathing muscles.

How India's dual vaccine approach protects children

India's national immunisation schedule delivers two distinct vaccines to create comprehensive immunity against the virus.

Dr Rajesh Bhardwaj, founder of MedFirst ENT Centre, explained that combining oral drops and injectable doses gives children complementary defence mechanisms. Public health experts stress that supplementary Pulse Polio campaign drops add an extra layer of protection and do not replace routine childhood immunisations.

Dr Sanjay Wazir, medical director for neonatology at Motherhood Hospitals NCR, advised parents to participate fully in government campaigns. He noted that supplementary doses help close immunisation gaps across the wider population, ensuring every child remains safe.