Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (CLP)

Mangaluru, Jan 16: The pulse polio campaign in the state on January 18 and February 22 will immunize 75 lac children under the age of five years, said health minister U T Khadar.

Addressing a press meet here on Friday January 16, Khadar said, "The World Health Organization (WHO) declared India as polio-free on March 27, 2013, and to continue the work with the same vision for Karnataka, the state will hold pulse polio campaign in two phases on January 18 and February 22.

"We aim to immunize 75 lac children under the age of 5 years in the state during the campaign days," he said.

Elaborating on the arrangements, he said, "We have set up 32,628 booths with 51,558 teams throughout the state. There will be 1,03,440 volunteers and 4,619 supervisors, and 923 transport teams."

He further added, "There are more than 25,000 migrant labourers working in high risk areas. These areas have been identified and arrangements have been made to administer vaccinations to their children.

"Also, 2,162 transit teams have been formed to administer vaccinations at bus stations, railway stations and airports across the state," he added.

The pulse police campaign will be inauraguted in the city at Lady Goschen hospital on January 18. The vaccinations will be administered at all health centres.

In order to create more awareness on the campaign, all volunteers will go door to door and disseminate information, Khadar said.

Suresh Bolar of Rotary Club said that special arrangements have been made to coordinate between various teams of volunteers at different places to ensure that children of migrant workers who are vaccinated are identified wherever they go.

Sathish Chandra of WHO India and others were present.