Upon achieving the non-polio AFP rate of 1/100,000 children aged 15 yrs., adequate stool specimen collection from more than 60% of AFP cases, and all specimens tested in a WHO accredited Bangkok polio laboratory, Nepal entered from clinical to virological case classification in 2001. Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health has formed a National Expert Review Committee for polio eradication in 2001. The objective of this committee is to classify the cases of acute flaccid paralysis, which are undergoing for review. The committee meets usually every month to arrive at the classification and final diagnosis of the AFP cases with inadequate stool specimens that were found to have residual weakness at 60 day follow up examination. Based on the review of the information and clinical findings available, the expert committee classifies such cases as non-polio AFP or polio compatible. The AFP cases with isolation of oral polio vaccine that were found to have weakness at 60 days follow up examination also go for the review to conclude whether the weakness or paralysis was associated with vaccines or not.

Chair Person:

Prof. Dr. Ramesh Kant Adhikari, MBBS, MD
Dean, Institute of Medicine (IOM), Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu.

Members:

Prof. Dr. Prakash Sundar Shrestha, MBBS, DCH, MD
Department of Pediatrics, IOM, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu.

Dr. Rupa Singh, MBBS, MD
Professor and Head, Department of Pediatrics, B. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences,
Dharan, Sunsari

Dr. Udaya Raj Upadhaya, MBBS, DCH
Chief Consultant Pediatrician, Kanti Chidren's Hospital
Kathmandu

Dr. Laxmi Lata Karmacharya, MBBS, DCH
Consultant Pediatrician, Kathmandu

Role of NCCPE

1. Review and assess the AFP surveillance and immunization activities through site visits and recommend improvements;
2. Review the work of the National Expert Review Committee, especially related to polio-compatible cases;
3. Keep Regional Certification Commission informed on an ongoing basis;
4. Review and endorse a final Nepal Country Report for certification of polio eradication.

Members of NCCPE Chair Person

Prof. Dr. Hemang Dixit, MBBS, LRCP, MRCS, DTM&H, DCH
Principal, Kathmandu Medical College, Kathmandu

Members:

Prof. Dr. Jagadish Prasad Agrawal, MBBS, MD, MHPE
Professor, Department of Neurology, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu

Dr. Badri Raj Pande MBBS, DCH, DTM & H, DPH
President, Nepal Health Economics Association, Kathmandu

Dr. Dinesh Bikram Shah, MBBS, DCN
Senior Consultant Neurologist, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu

Dr. Ananta Dutta Shrestha, MBBS, DCH, MD
Visiting Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Nepal Medical College, Kathmandu

Background

Government of Nepal, Ministry of Health & Population and World Health Organization, Nepal both expressed their commitment for eradication of polio from Nepal. After the transmission of wild poliovirus is ceased, the only source of infection will be laboratories storing clinical specimens containing wild polioviruses. To prevent laboratory associated spread of wild polioviruses, it is obligatory that all potentially polio infected clinical material is either destroyed or handled under appropriate bio-safety conditions.

The Global Commission for Certification of Polio Eradication has requested the Regional and the National Commissions to ensure that each country plans and strictly implement activities for the same.

In 2001, Ministry of Health & Population constituted a National Task Force under the chairmanship of then specialist special secretary of the Ministry of Health for Laboratory Containment of Wild Poliovirus. Task Force members have been nominated from ministry of health, Academic institutions, Research Organizations, representatives of healthcare facilities and independent experts. The committee is working actively since then and has been successfully conducting activities as per assigned terms of reference.

The Laboratory containment task force has been formed by the Ministry of Health & Population to prepare the national plan of action for laboratory containment of wild poliovirus with timeline for implementation, budget allocation, preparation of the inventory of bio-medical laboratories through out the country, survey the laboratories and preparation of the inventory of laboratories identified with wild poliovirus infectious and potentially infectious materials.

National Task Force Team:

Chair Person:

Dr. Bisnu Prasad Pandit, MBBS, MD, DCH
Director General, Department of Health Services (DoHS), MOHP, Kathmandu

Member Secretary:

Prof. Dr. Sarala Malla, MBBS, MD (Path & Micro)
Director, National Public Health Laboratory, DoHS, Kathmandu

Members:

Dr. Hari Nath Acharya, MBBS, DPH, M.Sc.
Chief, Policy Planning, Foreign Aid and International Cooperation Division
Ministry of Health and Population, Ramshah Path, Kathmandu

Dr. Yashovardhan Pradhan, MBBS, MPH
Director, Child Health Division, DoHS, Kathmandu

Prof. Dr. Bhisma Raj Prasai, MBBS, DCP
Nepalgunj Medical College, Kohalpur, Nepalgunj

Prof. N. R. Tuladhar, M. Sc.
Professor, Department of Microbiology, Tribhuban University (TU), Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu

Dr. Bhola Rijal, MBBS, DGO, MCPS, FICS
President, Private Hospital and Nursing Home Association, Kathmandu

Dr. Chandrika Shrestha, MBBS,Dip, Bac (UK), FICS
Chief Consultant Pathologist, Bir Hospital, Kathmandu

Prof. Dr. Hari Gobinda Shrestha, MBBS, MD (Pathology)
President, Association of Clinical Pathologists of Nepal, Kathmandu

Dr.Shyamal K. Bhattacharya, MBBS, MD (Microbiology)
Additional Professor, Department of Microbiology, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Sunsari

Dr. Sunil Kumar Singh, MBBS, MD (Pathology)
Pathologist, Birendra Army Hospital, Kathmandu

Dr. Kayodevi Yami, Ph.D. (Microbiology)
Microbiologist, Royal Nepal Academy for Science and Technology, Kathmandu

Mr. Ganesh Rai, B.Sc. MLT, M. Sc.
Senior Medical Technologist, Birendra Police Hospital, Kathmandu

Background

The Department of Health Services, MOHP, has formed a high level National Task Force for Responding to Importation of Wild Poliovirus or VDPV. The key responsibility of the task force is to make policy to response importation of Wild Poliovirus or VDPV outbreak in Nepal.

Task Force:

Chairperson:

1. Director General, Department of Health Services

Member Secretary:

2. EPI Chief, Child Health Division

Members:
3. Director, Child Health Division
4. WHO Representative, Nepal
5. Chief Health Section, UNICEF, Nepal
6. Chairman, Rotary International, Nepal
7. Advisor, Health Section, USAID, Nepal
8. Assistant Resident Representative, JICA, Nepal
9. TO, WHO-IPD

Please click to see details:
Control Measures for a Poliomyelitis Outbreak Due to Wild and Vaccine Derived Poliovirus Strains in Nepal