India to take over local polio surveillance unit from WHO

NCDC will assume the responsibility, dismantling the joint programme currently in place

- Priyanka Sharma

India is set to take over polio surveillance activities from the World Health Organization (WHO) and hand over the responsibility to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), two people familiar with the matter said, citing directions to "dismantle" the 30-year-old joint programme that was instrumental in India eradicating the disease.

Until now, India's National Polio Surveillance Programme (NPSP) has been headed by the WHO, with the country achieving its polio-free status in 2014 in partnership with the UN agency. The plan now is to hand over the work to India's Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP), headed by the NCDC.

Directions to this effect came from the finance ministry to the health ministry. The shift will start from 1 April and is planned to be completed within two years.

The reason for the shift is to achieve self-sufficiency as the government now feels that there is proper infrastructure and enough capabilities for disease surveillance, both the people said.