A special pulse polio immunisation drive was conducted in the district on Saturday to cover children belonging to high risk groups.
The Public Health Department had made arrangements to administer additional dose of polio vaccine to children of nomads, migrant workers and those in Sri Lankan refugee camps. This special drive is in addition to the regular pulse polio immunisation campaign which will be conducted all over the country soon.
In Madurai district, 899 identified children of 0 to 5 years were administered oral polio drops during the first round. The second round of pulse polio vaccine for the same groups will be administered on March 23.
A. Palanichamy, Deputy Director of Health Services, along with public health staff visited temporary settlements to inspect the polio immunisation drive. Of the total 899 children, 25 children were in Madurai Corporation area — near Mattuthavani Integrated Bus Stand, Anuppanadi and Karimedu Colony. “The Directorate of Public Health has instructed us to conduct special immunisation drive since migrant workers and nomads might have missed the earlier rounds. We have covered urban and rural areas,” said S. Abdul Karim, Assistant Director of Public Health.
Health staff visited the sites after gathering all particulars and administered the vaccine. Those on construction sites, pavement dwellers, occupational migrants and those living in temporary settlements were covered.
Mr. Karim said that the extra dose was warranted because of polio cases being reported from children of nomads.
From many States
Children of workers from Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka, besides children of migrant workers who have come from other districts in Tamil Nadu were covered during the Saturday drive. Officials said that the migrants and nomads were scattered across the district and 21 Primary Health Centres took steps to ensure complete coverage of the targeted groups.
The vaccine was administered for children at the Sri Lankan refugee camps in Tiruvadavur, Anaiyur and Uchapatti near Kappalur.
