This month India celebrated 3 years Polio free, marking a milestone in the battle against the disease. There has been massive progress in India with only 1 case being reported in 2011, down from 741 in 2009. This is due to mass immunizations of the like that aided the eradication of Small Pox in 1980. Although Polio persists in Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan, this is still a massive win for those battling the disease.

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Not only has India marked 3 years since its last Polio case, there has also been progress on overall life expectancy. The Economic Times has today reported that life expectancy in India has gone up by 5 years in a decade. The Ministry of Health said ‘life expectancy in India has gone up by five years, from 62.3 years for males and 63.9 years for females in 2001-2005 to 67.3 years and 69.6 years respectively in 2011-2015. ‘ It has been attributed to ‘better immunization and nutrition, coupled with prevention and treatment of infectious diseases’.

Not only has Polio been eradicated and life expectancy increased, progress has also been made on Infant Mortality. It has come down to 42 in 2012 from 58 per 1,000 live births in the 2005.

Although more needs to be done to help India’s poor and malnourished population, this progress on health is to be celebrated.