India Vaccinates 8.7 Million Children Against Polio

Strong support from the Indian government to eradicate polio in the late 1980s. In the years leading up to the last wild polio outbreak, nearly one billion vaccines were distributed to millions of children annually. 

Those efforts led the World Health Organization to declare India polio-free in 2014

To maintain that status, polio vaccination campaigns continue across India. On December 8, 2024, local media reported that Rajasthan aims to distribute polio vaccines to over 87 lakh children.

Unfortunately, on December 3, 2024, the WHO announced that the risk of the international spread of poliovirus remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and recommended extending Temporary Recommendations for another three months. 

This WHO notice does not impact India's polio-free classification.

While the U.S. CDC includes India in its Travel Health Advisories for chikungunya, dengue, and zika diseases, no polio vaccination requirement is mentioned for international visitors. The CDC has identified 37 countries with polio vaccination recommendations in its Level 2 Advisory issued in August 2024.