Coimbatore district achieved a coverage of 98.24 per cent in the first phase of the annual pulse polio immunisation campaign on Sunday.
Of the targeted 3,30,009 in the age group of zero to five years, a total of 3,14,962 were administered vaccine drops, according to S. Somasundaram, Deputy Director of Health Services.
In the rural areas, of the targeted 1,86,939, the number of children covered was 1,78,968. In the Pollachi Municipality, 8,595 children of the target of 9,342 were covered.
In Mettupalayam Municipality, of the targeted 6,328, the number of children covered was 5,160.
The Deputy Director said that a follow-up survey and vaccination would be conducted through this week to cover the children who were missed out on Sunday. The second phase of the pulse polio campaign would be held on February 23.
A total of 1,581 booths were established at anganwadi centres, primary health centres, health sub centres, Government and private hospitals and schools, across the district. More than 6,000 workers and volunteers were pressed into service.
Agriculture Minister S. Damodaran inaugurated the district’s pulse polio campaign at the Government Hospital at Pollachi in the presence of Deputy Speaker of the Assembly Pollachi V. Jayaraman and Collector Archana Patnaik
The health team from the Coimbatore Corporation that was involved in the pulse polio vaccination of children in the city limits on Sunday managed to almost achieve the target by administering the oral polio vaccine to 99.1 per cent children.
According to sources, the 715 personnel who were involved in the 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. drive, administered the drops to 1,26,480 of the targeted 1,27,400 children.
The personnel in the Coimbatore Corporation's mobile units managed to administer the vaccine to 2,292 children in the five bus stands and 1,222 children passing through the Coimbatore Railway Junction.
The Corporation had established 196 centres and that included five centres at the five bus stands, five mobile units to cover people in transit and another booth at the Coimbatore Railway Junction.
The sources said that from Monday for a week, the Corporation staff would go on a door-to-door campaign to administer the drops to those children who were not covered.
The personnel who participated in the vaccination drive included nursing students and ICDS staff.
Polio drops were administered to 779 children at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH), where the campaign was inaugurated by Mayor S.M. Velusamy. To reach out to those not covered on Sunday, the CMCH will be administering the vaccine till Wednesday.
Hospital Dean R. Vimala and Resident Medical Officer S. Dharmalingam supervised the process along with other doctors. Members of various Rotary Clubs were also present
The Rapid Action Force 105 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also held an immunisation drive on its campus in Vellalore.
Polio drops were administered to 150 children of unit personnel and civilians residing in the area adjoining the camp.
P.P. Pauly, Commandant, 105 Bn, RAF, inaugurated the camp in the presence of Ashok Kumar, Chief Medical Officer.
TirupurIn Tirupur district, of the total 2,23,925 children targeted for vaccination, as many as 1,60,925 were residing in rural areas and 63,000 in urban areas. The children covered include those living in usual households, roaming population and at Sri Lankan refugee camps.
Minister for Forests M.S.M. Anandan inaugurated the programme at District Headquarters hospital in the presence of Collector G. Govindaraj, Mayor Visalakshi Appukutty, Deputy Mayor S. Gunasekaran and various civic bodies representatives.
UdhagamandalamThe pulse polio immunisation drive evoked good response in various parts of The Nilgiris district.
The Nilgiris Collector P. Sankar, who set the campaign in motion by administering polio drops to a child at a booth in the Stone House area, said that the administration had set up 770 booths in various parts of the district to administer the drops.
Among them, thirty were near tourist spots such as the Government Botanical Garden, railway stations and bus stands.
The Collector added that arrangements had been made to administer the drops to 47,112 children with the assistance of 3,080 persons including the Government staff and volunteers from non-governmental organisations and service bodies such as the Rotary Clubs.
