Chennai, June 28 (IANS). Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday launched the state’s annual pulse polio vaccination campaign by administering oral doses of anti-polio drug to children at Adi Dravida Kalyan Higher Secondary School in Palavakkam, Chennai. With this, a massive vaccination campaign for children below five years of age was launched across the state.
This campaign is part of the annual vaccination program to ensure and maintain India’s polio-free status.
Polio (poliomyelitis) is a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects young children and can cause permanent paralysis. India has successfully eradicated the disease, but the government organizes pulse polio campaigns every year to prevent re-spread of the virus and maintain immunity among children.
This year, the Tamil Nadu Health Department has set a target of administering oral doses of anti-polio medicine to 52.91 lakh children across the state in a single day. For this, 43,051 vaccination booths have been set up. These booths have been set up in government hospitals, primary health centres, schools, Anganwadi centres, railway stations, bus stands, airports, toll plazas, check posts and other public places, so that parents and children can easily get the vaccination facility.
Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launched the campaign by administering the first dose of anti-polio medicine to the children at the venue in Palavakkam.
With the beginning of the campaign, pulse polio vaccination camps started simultaneously in all the districts of Tamil Nadu. Thousands of health workers, nurses, volunteers and government officials are participating in this massive public health campaign.
This vaccination campaign will continue till 5 pm on Sunday. During this period, oral doses of anti-polio medicine will be given free of cost to eligible children at designated centers across the state.
Health officials reiterated that despite India being polio-free, it is important to continue routine vaccination of children to avoid the risk of re-spreading the virus. He said every child under five years of age, whether previously vaccinated or not, must receive an oral dose of polio.
The state government has appealed to the parents and guardians not to miss this opportunity and take all the eligible children to the nearest Pulse Polio booth to get vaccinated before the campaign ends on Sunday evening. With this, the government reiterated its commitment to protect children and maintain India’s polio-free status.
–IANS
PM