The first round of Pulse Polio immunisation programme took place on Sunday with focus on administering the vaccine to children on transit at special booths set up along the toll gates of Ring Road and four-lane highways.
The public health authorities had made elaborate arrangements to cover an estimated 2, 92, 292 children up to five years of age. Door-to-door verification will be carried out in the next three days to administer polio drops to left out children to ensure total coverage. The second round of immunisation is scheduled for February 22.
Cooperation Minister ‘Sellur’ K. Raju formally launched the immunisation drive at the primary health centre in Kovilpappakudi in Madurai West panchayat union in the presence of Collector L. Subramanian, MP R. Gopalakrishnan and Deputy Mayor K. Thiraviam.
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The Collector proceeded to Kappalur toll plaza to administer the vaccine to children travelling in vehicles. Mr. Subramanian said that an intensive campaign was needed to eradicate polio and maintain zero polio case status in the State.
The district administration, in coordination with the Public Health Department, had set up 1,600 immunisation booths. Also, there were 45 special booths to cover bus stands and 26 mobile booths to cover children in public places.
Mr. Subramanian said that seven booths were set up along the four-lane highways and toll gates on the Ring Road. “Intensive Pulse Polio campaign is being implemented for the past 20 years and no polio case has been reported in the last three years in the country. In Tamil Nadu, the last polio case reported was in 2004 and in Madurai district there is no polio since 1998,” he added.
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Migrant children, Narikuravas, children of construction workers and Sri Lankan refugees were given special attention.
Polio drops were also administered at the airport and railway stations. A total of 7,271 persons from various government departments and non-governmental organisations took part in the immunisation drive.
271 booths in city
The Corporation set up 271 booths to administer the drops to 1.2 lakh children in the city.
Mayor V. V. Rajan Chellappa and Commissioner C. Kathiravan formally launched the drive at the health centre in Sathamangalam.
Special arrangements were made to immunise children at Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple and other places of worship.
The Mayor said that 508 teams had been formed to administer the drops on Monday and Tuesday to those children who did not get the vaccine on Sunday.