Polio reports wrong, says health department

KORAPUT: A state health department inquiry dismissed the resurgence of polio in tribal-dominated Koraput district, as claimed in a few media reports recently.
Certain sections of the media had reported on Tuesday that a three-year-old tribal girl, identified as Raila Khila of Tikarjhodi village under Boipariguda block, who was unable to walk properly, was afflicted with polio.
“After learning about the case from media reports, a team of medical officers was sent to the village to examine the patient thoroughly. During our medical examination it was found that it was a growth retard case and not polio,” Koraput chief district medical officer Nisikant Kar told TOI.
“The girl was immunized with polio vaccine regularly. If it was a case of polio then the child would not have been able to move her legs at all, but there is some movement in her legs,” the medical officer said.
Puspa Mitra Lakra, medical office of Boipariguda hospital, who had accompanied the team of doctors to Tikarjhodi, said, “During inquiry, it was found that the child was normal up to one year of age. After that she developed complications and is unable to stand and walk properly now. But it is not a case of polio. The child will be referred to some medical college for further treatment.”
According to sources, the last incidence of polio in the state was detected in September 2008.