Mission polio: City doc heads to Africa

A senior medical officer (SMO) of the Haryana health department has been selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide technical assistance and leadership in Africa for global polio eradication.

A senior medical officer (SMO) of the Haryana health department has been selected by the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide technical assistance and leadership in Africa for global polio eradication.

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Dr Vishesh Kumar, also a consultant pediatrician with the state government, was selected by WHO South-East Asia region.

Dr Kumar has been working as the sub regional team leader of WHO Delhi since nine years. Before that, he was working as SMO at General Hospital, Gurgaon.

Polio has been declared a public health emergency by WHO. At present, polio cases have been found in three countries — Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan, an official release said. It added that Dr Kumar would be placed

in Nigeria where there is persistent transmission of wild polio virus.

Initially, the deputation is for three months which can be extended later. India was declared ‘polio-free’ on January 13, 2011.

Kumar has vast experience of working on polio cases in India as well as sub-Saharan Africa. Last year, he helped the Republic of Uganda to achieve polio eradication.