Despite health inspectors’ threat to boycott the second round of polio immunisation here on Sunday, the drive went off without any hitch.
A total of 90,437 children below the age of 5 were immunised in Puducherry, Karaikal, Yanam and Mahe.
According to Health and Family Welfare statistics, coverage this time was 91.33 per cent against 90.38 per cent in January. Of 99,020 children in the Union Territory, 90,437 were immunised on Sunday.
In Puducherry alone, 69,971 out of 77,246 children were immunised. In Karaikal, 14,770 out of 15,024 children received the vaccine. In Yanam, as many as 3,975 of 4,330 were immunised. In Mahe, a total of 1,721 out of 2,420 children received drops.
A total of 822 teams were employed for the immunisation exercise, with 411 booths and seven transit booths. Puducherry had 314 booths, Karaikal 70, Mahe 16 and Yanam 18.
Children who are left out in the drive on Sunday would be covered by health workers going on a door-to-door campaign. The last case of polio in the Union Territory was recorded in 1998, Director of Health and Family Welfare, K.V. Raman told The Hindu .
“As soon as we heard about the proposed boycott, a notice was sent to the Association. We have also conducted one round of talks with the health inspectors and they agreed to take part in the programme,” he said.
In January, the Health Inspector Association had decided to boycott the programme when they were not represented in the felicitation programme for the best polio workers from different States held in Delhi.
