The pulse polio immunization program
We have not been able to eradicate polio. The goal of eradicating polio as outlined in the agenda for Health for All by 2000, was not achieved. The failure rate of the vaccine has also gone up in recent years, which prompted the Government to come up with some measures to tackle this problem. Part of this problem may be due to some widely circulating viruses in a rampant or wild fashion.

The strategy was to eliminate some viruses which were circulating wildly by simultaneously administering an oral polio dose on a single day. It can be incorporated into the immunization schedule of the child or given as an extra dose if it does not coincide with the immunization schedule of the child.

The Government of India conducted the first round of the Pulse Polio Immunization (PPI) on 9 December, 1995, immunizing more than 87.81 million children with OPV. The second phase of PPI was conducted on 7 December, 1996 and 18 January, 1997, immunizing about 120 million children in a single day during each round. India is committed to sustaining these massive efforts for yearly PPIs during at least three consecutive years or until the wild polio virus circulation is interrupted.