The need for introducing injectable polio vaccine was the most discussed topic at the recently concluded round table conference organized by the Ranbaxy Science Foundation (DSF) here. The 12th Round Table Conference on the theme "India and the Global Eradication of Polio" focused on polio eradication, vaccines viruses and the need for injectable polio vaccine.

Eminent speakers from WHO, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, National Polio Surveillance Project, Enterovirus Research Centre, medical institutes like AIIMS and Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi and Indian Council of Medical Research collectively reviewed the status of eradication of Polio in India and globally in the light of latest research and scientific developments.

These scientific sessions were followed by a panel discussion on the "Future of Polio Eradication in India". The members of the panel included Dr N.K. Ganguli ICMR, Dr. Sobhan Sarkar Ministry Of Health & Family Welfare, Dr. HPS Sachdev, MAMC, New Delhi and Dr. N.K. Arora AIIMS.

The panel members favoured the routine pulse polio immunization programmes till the time the wild polio virus is eliminated and introduction of Injectable Polio Vaccine thereafter in a phased manner.

More than 130 delegates including eminent clinicians, laboratory scientists, epidemiologists, pulse polio immunization programme managers and journalists participated in the conference.

RSF, chaired by Dr. Nityanand, is a non profit organization which promotes scientific endeavour in the country by encouraging and rewarding excellence in medical and pharmaceutical research and channeling national and international knowledge and expertise. Among the prime activities it undertakes every year are, holding of Scientific Symposia in front line areas of research, inviting Foreign Scientists as Visiting Professors and holding of Round Table Conferences on Infectious diseases. The Foundation also gives annually four Research Awards in different areas of Biomedical research to scientists for distinguished research as judged by an outstanding Jury. The topics for the earlier Round Table Conference include - Dengue, Water Borne Diseases, Leptospirosis, Malaria, Kala-azar, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis C, Anthrax, Leprosy Elimination and Hepatitis B.