Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (KM/RD)
Mangalore, Jan 6: The first round of national pulse polio programme was launched here on Sunday, January 6 by M Maheshwara Rao, deputy commissioner, Dakshina Kannada district and inaugurated by Sucharitha Shetty, president of Zilla Panchayat, at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) of Bondel, at the outskirts of city.
A total of 921 booths have been set up across the district, of which 741 booths have been set up in Mangalore rural and rest of them (180) have been set up in urban areas. The district administration has aimed at covering as much as 1, 75,957 children from 3,60,000 houses, below 5 years of age. 4 transit booths and 5 mobile teams have been set up, in order to cater to completion of target, the district administration confirmed.
Detailing the daijiworld correspondent about the targets achieved, Dr Jagannath, district health officer (DHO), said that the district administration and the department of health have requested the private owned cellular operator like Hutch to spread the awareness by Short Message Service (SMS). The Dakshina Kannada district administration has also requested local channels in the district in this regard and All India Radio (AIR) has also extended its help.
The department of health has taken all the measures to eradicate the devastating disease. The booth-wise programme will be followed by house to house visit in both rural and urban areas for the next three days and two days respectively, from Sunday, January 6 onwards.
In Public Health Centre:
"We are confident that we receive over-whelming response from parents this time that makes the programme a success, we have also requested all parents to administer pulse polio. Hand bills have been distributed and banners have been put up at the places where large number of people meet, thus the preparation against the disease is in full swing," says Subash Shetty, medical officer, Bondel PHC, while speaking to daijiworld correspondent.
The mission of eradication is strengthened with the immunization programme held every Thursday. School students are involved in the campaign, while the help of ANMs has been sought and the programme will be held from 8 - 00 a m to 5 – 00 p m, he added.
The second round of the programme will be held on Sunday, February 10.