BENGALURU: On the very first day of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launching the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme, the state machinery vaccinated 96% of the more than 62.4 lakh children it had targeted for the four-day drive.
Earlier, speaking at the inaugural event organised at the chief minister’s official residence on Sunday, Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao urged parents to ensure that every child receives the polio drops without fail.
“The two drops are extremely important. Parents must ensure that all children are vaccinated,” said Rao, adding, “The vaccine is completely safe and parents are urged to not pay heed to rumours.”
Rao said a door-to-door vaccination drive will be held for two or three days, covering children up to the age of five. The state has set a target of vaccinating 62.4 lakh children. For the smooth conduct of the campaign, the state has set up 33,258 booths, 1,030 mobile teams and 1,096 transit teams. Altogether 1,13,115 lakh vaccination workers and 7,322 supervisors will administer the vaccine. Parents can locate the nearest vaccination centre using the Nearby Vaccination Centre Karnataka app, the minister said.
Rao also said that India’s success in staying polio-free for the past 14 years is the result of sustained vaccination and public awareness drives since the programme began in 1978. Still, continued vigilance is essential, as polio cases are being reported in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, he said.