Source: The Hindu
The United Nations and leading world organizations celebrated India’s first polio free year and termed it as a major milestone in their fight against this dreaded disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Margaret Chan, termed it as the “greatest public health achievement” of India, the Bill Gates, of Bill and Milinda Gates Foundation described it as a major milestone in the global fight against polio.
“This is a major milestone in the global fight against polio. Children in India are now protected against this debilitating, but preventable disease, bringing us one step closer to saving and improving the lives of all children,” Mr. Gates said.
Mr. Gates in particular congratulated the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, the Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, and the Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal on this achievement.