This year’s first polio immunisation drive saw over two lakh children administered polio vaccine across the district on Sunday.
The drive was inaugurated by Minister for Tourism Vellamandi N. Natarajan and Minister for Backward Classes and Minority Welfare S. Valarmathi at the Urban Primary Healthcare Centre on E.B. Road in Tiruchi city.
City corporation commissioner S. Sivasubramanian, K. Vanitha, Dean, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital, were present at the inauguration.
This year, 1,279 immunisation booths were set up in rural areas, while 247 camps were set up in the city. At Manapparai municipality, there were 23 booths and in Thuraiyur 20. There were also 55 transit and 69 mobile booths, said Deputy Director of Health Services A. Subramani.
The department also ensured coverage of temples in Srirangam, Gunaseelam, Samayapuram, Vayalur, mosques and churches, important bus stations, Tiruchi railway junction, Tiruchi International Airport and other places with a large number of visitors, especially children. Transit booths in the areas, would be kept open round the clock for the benefit of travellers.
In Tiruchi, a total of 2,65,470 children under the age of five, including 155 at the Sri Lankan refugee centre and 372 migrants, were administered drops.
In Thanjavur, Agriculture Minister R. Duraikannu inaugurated the drive at Government Raja Mirasudar Hospital, Thanjavur. A total of 128 booths in the urban area and 1,382 in the rural areas were set up with 6,040 medical health professionals and 178 supervisors.
In Perambalur, Collector V. Santha and Perambalur MLA Ilambai R. Tamizhchelvan inaugurated the drive. A total of 387 centres were set up at government hospitals, PHCs, bus stations, schools and Anganwadi centres with 1,548 medical health professionals administering the drops to 45,768 children.
In Ariyalur, a total of 542 centres in urban areas and 46 centres in rural areas were set up to administer polio vaccine for 68,156 children. A total of 2,140 medical health professionals comprising 1,061 anganwadi workers, 182 students and 193 staff members of the department of public health were pressed into action.
In Pudukkottai district, Collector P. Uma Maheshwari inaugurated the vaccination drive. Children were vaccinated by 5,638 health professionals.
In Karur, a total of 831 booths were set up and manned by 3,360 workers to administer drugs to children below the age of five years. Members of SHGs and NGOs assisted in the drive.
In Thiruvarur, 1,20,105 children benefitted from the pulse polio immunisation drive through 873 camps. R. Kamaraj, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies inaugurated the drive along with T. Anand, Collector.
