VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh aims to administer polio drops to 49.20 lakh children below the age of five during this year’s Pulse Polio immunisation drive, with 60 lakh vaccine doses and 1.33 lakh health workers deployed across the state, Minister for Medical and Health Satya Kumar Yadav said on Sunday.
The Minister spoke after administering polio drops to children at the Urban Primary Health Centre in Bhavani Gardens in the Industrial Estate area of Visakhapatnam.
He was joined by Visakhapatnam MP M Sribharat, Visakha North MLA P Vishnu Kumar Raju and District Collector M Abhishikth Kishore.
Satya Kumar Yadav said the annual Pulse Polio programme is being conducted to ensure India remains permanently polio-free. Although India eradicated the polio virus in 2011 and Andhra Pradesh achieved the milestone in 2008, the campaign continues every year in line with World Health Organisation guidelines as polio cases are still being reported in neighbouring Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He said the campaign is being implemented in four phases to ensure no eligible child is left out. On the first day, polio drops are being administered through 30,000 booths across the state, while 1,200 mobile medical vans are covering remote areas.
Transit booths have also been set up at bus and railway stations to vaccinate children who are travelling. A door-to-door campaign will be conducted over the following two days to reach children who miss the first day.
The Minister said strengthening primary healthcare remained a priority for the government. He said construction of 4,563 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs was underway across the state in different stages, including 1,325 centres sanctioned for the North Andhra region.
He also said the government had intensified measures to control seasonal diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya during the monsoon. Health officials are carrying out fever surveys, fogging operations, sanitation drives and other preventive measures to protect public health.
Speaking at the programme, MP M. Sribharat said it was the responsibility of every citizen to help maintain India’s polio-free status.
He said around 1.89 lakh children below the age of five had been identified for vaccination in Visakhapatnam district and all necessary arrangements had been made for the campaign.
MP urged public representatives, health workers, voluntary organisations and parents to ensure every eligible child received the vaccine.
District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore said a three-day Pulse Polio campaign was being conducted across the district. He said 1,002 fixed booths and 62 mobile and transit booths had been set up to vaccinate around two lakh children below the age of five. Nearly three lakh vaccine doses have been made available for the campaign.
The Collector said special vaccination teams had been deployed at bus and railway stations to reach travelling children. Those who miss the first day’s programme will be covered through a door-to-door campaign over the next two days.
