As part of polio eradication activities, the State government will organise two rounds of Intensive Pulse Polio Immunisation (IPPI) campaigns on January 23 and February 27 (Sundays).
An official release stated that all children under the age of 5 years would be administered polio drops on these days irrespective of their previous immunisation status.
According to Health Minister M.R.K. Panneerselvam, the State will establish 40,399 immunisation booths located in government hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Health sub centres, ICDS centres, noon meal centres, schools and in other important places.
Transit booths would be set up at railway stations, bus stands, airports, places of worship and tourist spots to cover children in transit. Mobile teams would cover the population living in remote and inaccessible areas including tribal and hilly areas. Besides, polio booths would be established in all habitations for easy accessibility, the release said.
Around 70 lakh children are expected to be benefited. About 2 lakh personnel, including Anganwadi workers, volunteers from NGOs such as Rotary are involved in this mass campaign. Private doctors have also been requested to open their clinics on IPPI days and invite their patients to administer polio drops to children under 5 years irrespective of the previous immunisation status, the release said.
Finger marking would be done on the left little finger of each child after vaccination. This would help the authorities to identify unimmunised children. Those children not given the polio drops on these days will be covered on subsequent days, the release said.
“Special efforts have been taken to map the migrant population throughout the State and list out the children so as to administer polio drops along with other children in the State during IPPI campaign days,” Mr. Panneerselvam said.
