“The National Pulse Polio Vaccination Drive will be held across the district from December 21 to 24, and it must be ensured that no child below five years of age is left out,” said District Collector Kavita S. Mannikeri.
She was speaking while presiding over the National Pulse Polio Programme Pre-Preparatory Meeting and the DTFI Measles and Rubella Eradication Programme Inter-Departmental Coordination Committee Meeting, organized by the Health and Family Welfare Department on Tuesday at the District Collector’s Office Hall.
“It is a matter of pride that there are currently no polio cases in the country, thanks to the government’s sustained efforts to make India polio-free. The vaccination drive should be implemented successfully with coordinated support from all departments. Awareness must be strengthened in both urban and rural areas about the National Pulse Polio Programme and its importance,” she said.
She instructed that the Health Department, along with the Women and Child Welfare, Education and other departments, must work together to ensure the programme achieves 100 percent coverage.
District Health Officer Dr. Shankar Naik LR informed that there are 1,21,585 children under five in the district and 1,040 vaccination centers will be set up. A total of 923 teams have been constituted, along with 50 transit centers at public locations and four mobile teams. As many as 2,170 vaccination staff have been deployed.
District Panchayat Coordinator J.M. Annadanaswamy, District RCH Officer Jambaiah, District Surveyor Dr. Shanmukha Nayak, District Medical Officer Dr. Bhaskar and Dr. Radhika were present.