The annual pulse polio immunisation drive was launched in the State on Sunday with Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar participating in the drive at the children's hospital attached to the Institute of Child Health in Egmore, Chennai.
In the Chief Minister's constituency, Dr. Radhakrishnan Nagar, Mayor Saidai Duraisamy launched the drive.
Two drops of polio vaccine will be administered to all children below the age of five. Even those children who were vaccinated under the National Immunisation Programme a few days prior to this drive would be vaccinated, health officials had earlier said.
Only sick children are exempted from the vaccine drive, officials have said. Even newborns will be administered the oral polio drops, they added.
As many as two lakh healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, teachers and anganwadi workers, are involved in the programme, which is being held across all government healthcare facilities.
Vaccination booths have been set up in schools, public places and even on beaches and in the zoo. The public places have been included as today is Kaanum Pongal and the health department does not want to leave out any child.
The camps will be held up to 5 p.m. in the booths but at all primary health centres and government health facilities the vaccination would be provided round-the-clock.
The drive will continue for seven days, with health officials visiting the houses from day two.
All vaccinated children will be marked with ink on their left little finger. Houses where the children have not been vaccinated will be marked with X to enable workers identify the children and vaccinate them.
