Empowering Polio Survivors
By Neena Bhandari
It was a meek October morning in 1967, only a month away from my third birthday, I had worn my frilled frock and white laced shoes to go and receive the triple polio vaccine. As I sang and danced along the way, making it difficult for my maternal grandfather to keep pace, little did I know that it was the last time I would be walking by myself.
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Sydney, 14.03.2023 (Allergy and Respiratory Republic): Basic lung function tests could go a long way in preventing complications in polio survivors as they age. These patients often require specific respiratory assessment and recommendations for physiotherapy, orthotics and assistive technology to manage their condition, experts say.
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Sydney, 16.02.2023 (The Medical Republic): While Australia was declared polio-free in 2000, there is a major need to invest in medical care of many of the tens of thousands of people, who contracted poliomyelitis (polio) during the 20th century polio epidemics and are now experiencing what is known as the “Late Effects of Polio” (LEoP) and its subset, the Post-Polio Syndrome (PPS).
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A Cancelled flight, a lost suitcase, a stolen wallet are exigencies we may plan for while travelling, but I had never considered the possibility of an unexpected injury, until it happened during one of my annual sojourns in India. It revealed the dichotomy between the avant-garde and primitive modes of transport and healthcare facilities that exist in the country.
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The Indian Government, Non-Governmental Organisations and the larger community must invest in rehabilitating millions of polio survivors facing new physical, social, cultural and economic challenges.
India was certified polio-free by the World Health Organisation on 27 March 2014. Polio immunisation has been a great success story of public-private health partnership, but now we need to replicate this to improving the lives of people living with polio.
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Sydney, 26.03.2006 (The Hindu): On a balmy Sydney afternoon in November 2005, a phone call changed the way me and my family would henceforth celebrate January 26.
Throughout my growing up years, Indian Republic Day held a special significance. We would spend long hours practising national songs on the flute as our school band marched through the streets of Ajmer into the main city stadium. There was a sense of immense pride in witnessing the tricolour unfurl as we …
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Canberra, 15.12.2004 (IPS): As developing countries move closer to polio eradication, the developed world is battling with ageing polio survivors experiencing post polio syndrome (PPS).
Many of the 40,000 Australians, who survived the polio epidemics of the twentieth century, are facing the threat of new disabilities. While they initially recovered and made the most of life with disability, today they are battling with profound fatigue, increasing muscle weakness, joint and muscle pain, increased sensitivity to cold temperatures and …
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