Polio virus resurfaces in Hyd after four months

Two pumping stations test positive as authorities gear up for 7-day drive

HYDERABAD:

Polio virus has resurfaced in Hyderabad after a four-month lull, with environmental samples from two water pumping stations testing positive and triggering concern among health and district administration officials ahead of a fresh anti-polio campaign.

According to a report issued by the Regional Polio Laboratory of the National Institute of Health, samples collected from the Tulsidas Pumping Station and Latifabad Unit 9 Pumping Station of the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation tested positive for poliovirus. A sample from the Qasimabad pumping station was also examined.

The latest detection marks a reversal after environmental samples in Hyderabad had remained negative for four consecutive months following years of persistent detection of wild poliovirus type I in the city.

District Health Officer Dr Pir Ghulam Hussain confirmed the positive samples, saying authorities would make every effort to ensure that all children under five receive polio drops during the upcoming vaccination campaign.

The development came under discussion at a meeting of the Divisional Task Force for Polio Eradication, chaired by Hyderabad Divisional Commissioner Fayyaz Hussain Abbasi. The meeting reviewed preparations for the seven-day Sub-National Immunisation Days (SNID) campaign scheduled for September 21-27 across the division.

Officials from the health department, World Health Organisation, local government, police and district administrations attended the meeting, while deputy commissioners and senior police officers from all districts joined via video link.

WHO representatives told the meeting that preparations were about 93 per cent complete, with all training expected to be completed by Friday. Micro-planning, human-resource mapping and core training had been completed across nine districts, while field-team training was under way. Officials, however, called for further improvement in micro-plans.

Commissioner Abbasi described the return of positive environmental samples as a matter of concern and ordered focused action in Hyderabad and Sujawal to bring the samples negative again. He directed officials to ensure adherence to vaccination protocols, quality of vaccination, effective movement of mobile teams and close monitoring of border and sensitive areas.