The World Polio Day is being observed today. Union Health Ministry said, India is closest ever to eradicate polio from the country.

In a statement, the ministry said that only one polio case has been detected this year making it the longest polio-free period ever since eradication programmes were launched.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the government has also decided to treat any fresh case of polio as a public health emergency in order to achieve complete polio eradication at the earliest.

He said, the Health Ministry has also prepared an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan to intensify measures to build the immunity of children against polio in all high risk areas.

Mr Azad said, efforts will be further intensified to stop any residual polio virus circulation and to prevent any polio case in the most vulnerable populations including the newborns and the migrants.