The second phase of the Pulse Polio campaign will be held across the State on Sunday. A total of 70 lakh children below the age of five, who were administered the vaccine in the first phase held in February, will be covered in the campaign, according to a press release.
Every child who has been immunised recently under the routine immunisation programme should be given the polio drops. Following the immunisation, the child's finger is marked to confirm vaccination.
A total of 40,000 immunisation booths have been established in primary health centres, health sub centres, anganwadis, government medical college hospitals, government hospitals and schools. The booths will function from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A total of 1,000 transit booths, being set up in bus stands, railway stations and airports, will function for three days around-the-clock to ensure that all children are covered. The State government has deployed around 900 mobile teams to cover children living in remote and inaccessible areas. About two lakh personnel from various government departments, including Social Welfare, Integrated Child Development Services, Education, Revenue, Rural Development and Municipal Administration, are involved in the pulse polio campaign. Non-governmental organisations such as the Rotary, Indian Medical Association, the Indian Academy of Paediatrics and Lions Clubs are also involved in the immunisation programme.
Although the State government has not registered any polio case for the last eight years and the country has not registered a polio case for a year, it is very important to administer polio drops to all children during the campaign to protect them from any possible import of the virus from elsewhere.
