Topic -Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
4) It has been argued that Inactivated Polio Vaccine needs to be compulsorily introduced in India. Examine.(250 words)
Why this question
There have been several cases of vaccine derived polio cases across the world, including India. It is therefore vital to understand the importance of introducing IPV to prevent such cases and at the same time fight the disease from wild strains.
Directive word
Examine- here we have to probe deeper into the topic, get into details, and find out the causes or implications if any.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to dig deep into the issue and bring out as to why there is an urgent need for India to switch to IPV from the OPV regime, currently in use today.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the IPV and OPV. Briefly mention the difference between the two.
Body-
Discuss in points/ paragraphs as to why India should introduce IPV in its anti polio drive. E.g With wild polio virus strains reduced by 99.9% since 1988, the world is inching towards eradicating polio. But unfortunately, more children today are affected by the live, weakened virus contained in the oral polio vaccine (OPV) that is meant to protect them. The weakened virus in the vaccine can circulate in the environment, occasionally turn neurovirulent and cause vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV) in unprotected children; While circulating VDPV strains are tracked, and outbreaks and cases are recorded and shared, little is known about vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP) cases, particularly in India. VAPP occurs when the virus turns virulent within the body of a recently vaccinated child and causes polio. The frequency of VAPP cases varies across countries. With high-income countries switching to the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) that uses dead virus to immunise children, the VAPP burden is concentrated in low-income countries which continue to use the OPV; The IPV is essential for post wild-type poliovirus eradication, to get rid of VDPV and VAPP. The globally synchronised switch from trivalent to bivalent OPV in mid-2016 was accompanied by administering a single dose of the IPV prior to administering the OPV. “A single dose of the IPV given before the OPV prevents VAPP cases etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
