THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The second-phase of Pulse Polio immunisation was held in the district on Sunday. “2,18,264 children were vaccinated against the target of 2,48,280,” said District Medical Officer Dr T Peethambaran.
4,008 volunteers participated in the mass drive conducted through 2004 booths.
“The drive which achieved 87.8 of the target was a success,” Peethambaran said. “There was a fall of one percent from the previous time. However, it could be attributed to the less number of public functions such as festivals this time,” he said.
The DMO said that the success of the drive could be attributed to the cooperation of doctors, para-medical staff, LSG representatives, media and organisations such as the Indian Medical Association and the Indian Paediatric Association.
The Health Department will begin house-to-house surveys from Monday. Around 4,000 volunteers will make house visits as part of programme and find those who missed out the programme, the District Medical officer said.
Though no new cases of polio was reported in the state since 2010, the state cannot be complacent, the DMO said. “The risk still exists as the state is frequented by large number of international tourists and thousands of migrant labourers,” he added.