VIJAYAWADA/ ONGOLE: BC Welfare Minister S Savitha on Sunday said the state government is prioritising the Pulse Polio Programme to build a polio-free society and secure a healthy future for children.
She launched the campaign at Madhura Nagar in Vijayawada, where she and Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao administered drops to children under five. Savitha stressed that eradication is a collective responsibility and appealed to parents to ensure every child receives the mandatory two drops.
The Minister said the coalition government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is conducting the statewide programme in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a healthier India.
The vaccination drive, costing Rs 6.50 crore, is being implemented through village and ward secretariats, bus and railway stations, and mobile booths. She urged citizens to cooperate with health staff to achieve complete coverage. MLA Umamaheswara Rao added that polio eradication remains a key objective of the NDA government, with extensive awareness campaigns encouraging parents to immunise their children.
1,56,477 children to be covered in Prakasam
Social Welfare Minister Dola Sree Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy inaugurated the Pulse Polio vaccination programme for children under five at the Anganwadi centre in Thurpu Naidupalem, Tanguturu mandal, on Sunday. He administered drops to infants and stressed that every child must receive the vaccine to help eradicate polio.
District Medical and Health Officer Dr Venkateswarlu participated in the programme. Swamy said 1,56,477 children in Prakasam district and 49,20,239 across the state are eligible for vaccination.
He noted that the Pulse Polio initiative has played a key role in eliminating the disease nationwide and urged parents to treat it as a responsibility toward building a healthier future. The Minister directed Anganwadi and ASHA workers to ensure full coverage and raise awareness in rural areas.
He added that children who missed vaccination on Sunday would be covered through house-to-house visits over the next two days.