Ministry of
Health and Family Welfare, Government of India
Requirements of polio vaccination for international travelers between India and infected countries
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government
of India has put in place, the requirement of a dose of oral polio vaccine
(OPV) for all travelers to India from polio endemic countries and countries
with polio virus circulation following importation.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government
of indie has also put in place, the requirement of a dose of OPV for travellers
from india going to polio endemic countries and countries with poliovirus
circulation following importation.
Polio
infected countries:
a) Polio
endemic countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan
b} Countries with
polio virus circulation following importation: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia
and Syria
The list of
polio infected countries may be amended from time to time by Ministry of Health
and Family Welfare, Government of lndia, depending on polio virus detection.
These mandatory requirements will be effective for
travels from 1 March 2014 to mitigate the risk of importation of polio virus to India from these seven polio infected countries namely Afghanistan, Ethiopia,
Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria.
OPV
vaccination certificate will be issued after this additional dose which shall
remain valid for a
period of one year.
1.
Vaccination requirements for inbound travellers to lndia from countries with
ongoing poliovirus transmission
Resident nationals of the seven polio infected
countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Syria)
are required to receive a close of OPV, regardless of age and vaccination
status, at least four weeks prior to departure to lndia. A certificate of
vaccination with OPV is required for resident nationals of these countries
While applying for entry visa to lndia (copy of certificate uploaded).
It is not
mandatory for foreign nationals residing in the seven polio infected countries
to receive vaccination with OPV before travel to India.
Travellers to India should contact the local health
authorities in their respective countries for vaccination with OPV and
certificate of OPV vaccination. The certificate of vaccination should accompany
other documents when applying for visa for India and during the travel.
2.
Vaccination requirements for outbound travellers from India to countries with
ongoing poliovirus transmission
lndian residents travelling from lndia to the seven
polio infected countries are required to receive a dose of OPV at least four
weeks prior to departure, regardless of age and vaccination status.
Each district in India has designated at least one
center vvhere vaccination with OPV will be provided to travellers and OPV
vaccination certificate will be issued. The District immunization Officer is
the designated official for issuance of OF’V vaccination certificate to travelers.
It is not mandatory, for foreign nationals residing in
India to receive vaccination with OPV before travelling to the seven polio
infected countries. However, they are advised to receive a dose of OPV four
weeks prior to travel in their own interests
Responses
to frequently asked questions for polio vaccination of international
travefliers
between India and polio infected countries
1. Why is
vaccination with oral polio vaccine (OPV) required for international travel
between
India and
some countries?
lndia has completed three
years Without Wild poliovirus being detected. However, polio continues to
circulate in Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. There have also been recent
outbreaks following importation in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Syria.
India
faces the risk of importation of polio virus from countries that have ongoing
transmission. Since 2000, more than 45 countries that were earlier polio-free
had wild polio virus
importations.
International travel between India and these polio infected countries can bring the polio virus
to India.
To mitigate this risk, all such travelers are required to take a dose of OPV.
2. How is
polio virus spread?
Poliovirus
spreads through contaminated water and food. When individuals do not have
intestinal
immunity, the poliovirus multiplies in the gut and is excreted by the infected
person in
faeces.
A majority
of the individuals infected with poliovirus do not develop paralysis and remain
apparently healthy. However, they are capable of carrying the poliovirus in
their intestine
and
spreading it.
3. Why
should adults and children who have completed their immunization schedule
receive
an
additional dose of OPV?
The ability of intestine to prevent multiplication and
shedding of polio virus developed through vaccination decreases over time.
Therefore, adults & children who have received vaccination earlier; can
allow multiplication and shedding of the polio virus. An additional dose of OPV
given at least four weeks prior to travel, boosts the immunity of intestine and reduces chances
of virus being carried by travelers.
4. When
should I take polio vaccination for travel between India and polio infected countries?
Polio
vaccination is required to be taken at least four weeks prior to travel. Once
received, it
is not
required for a period of one year.
5. I am a citizen of a country not having poliovirus circulation and currently staying in one of
the polio
infected countries such as Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan,
Somalia
and Syria.
Is it mandatory for me to take OPV if I visit India?
No. It is
not mandatory for you to take OPV before travel to India. However, during your
stay
in any of
these countries, you are advised to take a dose of polio vaccine for your own
protection
as per WHO international travel and health recommendations
(http://www.vvho.int/ith/en/l.
6. I am a
resident of a country not having polioyirus circulation and currently staying
in India.
is it
mandatory for me'to take OPV if I visit any of the polio infected countries
such as
Afghanistan,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria from india?
No. It is
not mandatory for you to take OPV. However, you are advised to take a dose of
polio
vaccine for
your own protection as per WHO International travel and health
recommendations
(http://WWW.Wh0.int/ith[en/).
7. Is this
additional dose of OP'V also required for passengers in transit through polio
infected
countries?
No.
Passengers in transit through polio infected countries do not need additional
OPV dose.
8. Do I
need to take OPV as l have already been vaccinated with IPV?
Yes; you need to take a dose of OPV. lnactivated
polio virus vaccine (IPV) protects through developing antibodies in the blood
(i.e. humoral immunity). Individuals who received only IPV remain capable of
multiplying polio virus in the intestine and shedding of polio virus through
faeces. OPV develops humoral as well as intestinal immunity, therefore
preventing the
multiplication and shedding of polio virus. Individuals provided with additional
dose of OPV are
unlikely to carry polio virus and thus restraining the polio virus spread.
9. My child
has received inactivated polio vaccine few days ago. Is it necessary for the
child to
get OPV?
Yes. It is
important for the child to get OPV to boost the gut immunity.
10.
My child has received all OPV doses under the routine immunization schedule. Is
it safe for the child to get an additional close of OPV?
Yes, it is
safe to give this additional dose of OPV to your child.
11. Do I need to take OPV each time | visit a polio infected country?
No, if the
travel is within one year of taking OPV. However if the travel date is more
than one
year since
the last OPV dose, then another dose will be required.
12. From where should I take polio vaccination?
You should
contact local health authorities for vaccination with OPV. All District Immunization
Officers (DlOs) in India have been designated to arrange vaccination with OPV and issue a
certificate to travelers.
13. Can I
get a vaccination certificate from my doctor or any other practitioner?
N0. Polio
vaccination certificate for travelers can only be issued by the DIO or a vaccination
center
designated by DIO for this purpose. The certification has to be done on a
standard
format
available with the DIO or the designated center.
14. What if
I lose my vaccination certificate?
Travellers
who are unable to produce the certificate of Vaccination shall be considered as
unvaccinated.
They will be vaccinated with a dose of OPV and issued a fresh vaccination
certificate.
15. Are
there any charges for OPV or vaccination certificate?
NO. OPV and
vaccination certificate will be provided by DIO or the designated center free
of
cost.
16. Are
these guidelines in line with WHO recommendation for international traveiers’
vaccination?
Yes. These
are in line with WHO recommendations for international travels and health.
(http://WWW.who.int/ith/en/
).
Source
No comments:
Post a Comment