CM Saini Salutes Health Workers on World Polio Day
Synopsis
On World Polio Day, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini saluted health workers who drove India's polio-eradication campaign. India was certified polio-free by WHO in 2014 after wild poliovirus was last detected in 2011, capping the Pulse Polio Programme launched in 1995.
Key Takeaways
World Polio Day is observed on 24 October each year to mark global eradication efforts.
Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini paid tribute to health workers who drove India's polio-eradication campaign.
India's last wild poliovirus case was recorded in 2011 ; WHO certified the country polio-free in 2014 .
The Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme , launched in 1995 , was the backbone of the eradication drive.
India maintains its status through the Universal Immunisation Programme and ongoing environmental surveillance.
The campaign was coordinated with WHO and Rotary International over nearly two decades.
On World Polio Day, 24 October, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini paid tribute to every health worker who drove India's polio-eradication campaign — calling their contribution a historic achievement that the nation will never forget.
Posting in Hindi on X, Saini wrote: 'विश्व पोलियो दिवस पर भारत को पोलियो-मुक्त बनाने के महाअभियान में समर्पित सभी स्वास्थ्यकर्मियों को मेरा नमन एवं आभार।' — 'On World Polio Day, my salute and gratitude to all the health workers dedicated to the great campaign of making India polio-free.' He added that their 'tireless efforts, spirit of service, and firm resolve' had delivered the country a landmark victory.
A Milestone More Than a Decade in the Making
The tribute lands on a date that carries real weight. India's last confirmed wild poliovirus case was recorded in 2011, and the World Health Organisation certified the country polio-free in 2014 — a turnaround that had looked improbable just two decades earlier. The engine behind it was the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme, launched in 1995, which sent teams door to door across the country, reaching children in urban slums, remote villages, and nomadic settlements alike. The scale was staggering. Coordinated with WHO and Rotary International, the National Polio Surveillance Project ran repeated supplementary immunisation rounds year after year, tracking every rumour of a case and responding within hours. The foot soldiers of that campaign — community health workers, auxiliary nurse midwives, ASHA workers, district immunisation officers — are precisely the people Saini's post honours today.Why Vigilance Cannot Stop at Certification
Polio-free does not mean polio-proof. India's public-health establishment knows that wild poliovirus still circulates in parts of South Asia and Africa, making continued environmental surveillance non-negotiable. The country maintains its status through routine immunisation under the Universal Immunisation Programme and ongoing surveillance by the National Polio Surveillance Project, which monitors sewage samples and acute flaccid paralysis cases for any sign of re-emergence. World Polio Day, observed every 24 October, was established to mark global eradication efforts and to remind policymakers and communities alike that the last mile is often the hardest. Saini's message fits squarely into that spirit — a moment to acknowledge the human labour behind a statistic that is easy to take for granted.Point of View
But it plugs into a broader BJP-era narrative of showcasing India's public-health achievements as proof of governance capacity. The party has regularly invoked the polio-free milestone alongside campaigns like Mission Indradhanush to frame itself as the natural steward of universal health coverage. For a state CM, the message also carries local relevance — Haryana contributed immunisation infrastructure and grassroots health workers to the national drive. The subtext is that maintaining polio-free status requires sustained political will, not just historical credit.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When did India become polio-free?
India was officially certified polio-free by the World Health Organisation in 2014 , three years after the country's last confirmed wild poliovirus case in January 2011 .
What is World Polio Day and when is it observed?
World Polio Day is observed annually on 24 October . It was established to highlight global efforts to eradicate polio and to honour the frontline workers who make vaccination drives possible.
What was the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme?
The Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme was a nationwide door-to-door oral polio vaccination drive launched in 1995 by the Government of India, coordinated with WHO and Rotary International , which became the primary vehicle for eliminating wild poliovirus from the country.
Why does India still monitor for polio if it is already certified polio-free?
Polio-free certification does not eliminate the risk of re-importation. India continues environmental surveillance through the National Polio Surveillance Project and routine immunisation under the Universal Immunisation Programme because wild poliovirus still circulates in other parts of South Asia and Africa.
What did Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini say on World Polio Day 2026?
CM Nayab Singh Saini posted a tribute in Hindi on X, saluting health workers for their 'tireless efforts, spirit of service, and firm resolve' and calling their contribution to making India polio-free 'unforgettable.'
