CHENNAI: The State achieved 97.53 per cent pulse polio immunisation coverage on Sunday. Chief Minister MK Stalin launched the drive at Teynampet in Chennai by administering polio drops to children under five years. The drive covered 56.18 lakh children on the day against a target of 57.61 lakh.
According to health officials, the remaining children will be vaccinated in the coming days. Health workers will conduct door-to-door surveillance in the next three days to identify the children left out and administer them the drops. In the next three days, parents can also walk into any government health institutions including hospitals and primary health centres with the children, and get them the drops.
Transit booths will also function for the next three days. The State had set up 43,051 booths in primary health centres, government hospitals, integrated child development scheme centres, noon meal centres, schools, among other places as part of the Nation-wide pulse polio immunisation campaign.
Last year, the State had covered 65.3 lakh children (93 per cent) on the vaccination day, against its plan to cover 70.26 lakh children. Physical distancing, face masks, and handwashing was made mandatory during the exercise this year. Meanwhile, the city corporation immunised 5.6 lakh children as part of the drive. It surpassed its target of 5.5 lakh.