Asian Age/by Teena Thacker

Almost two years after India was struck off the list of polio- endemic countries, it will soon achieve another feat. Having successfully completed almost three polio- free years, and if no polio virus is identified till January 2014, India will receive the coveted "poliofree” tag from the World Health Organisation early next year. The last polio case was reported in 2011.

Health ministry officials warn that India runs a grave risk of importing the polio virus as it is circulating at a higher speed in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as in Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, which saw a resurgence of the wild virus.

To intensify surveillance, the external affairs ministry recently issued a travel advisory for those coming from polio- affected nations, making it mandatory for them to get vaccinated before entering India.

There are plans to set up polio vaccination booths at international airports to ensure visitors get duly vaccinated before entering the country. "We don’t want to leave any stone unturned.

We spent ` 15,000 crores and have reached a stage where we cannot afford to get reinfected,” an official said.

It is mandatory for adults and children from infected areas to get prior vaccination before coming to India. The Indian advisory is in line with a recent WHO directive on keeping a strict vigil on the air route.

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India to get polio- free certificate from WHO