Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS/DV)
Mangaluru, Jan 31: National pulse polio immunization programme, to administer polio drops to children below the age of five years, began on the morning of Sunday, January 31 at the government Lady Goschen hospital here.
MLA of Mangaluru North Dr Y Bharath Shetty flagged off the programme by administering polio drops to the daughter of Dr K V Rajendra, deputy commissioner of Dakshina Kannada district. The MLA also administered polio drops to several other babies.
The district administration has set up 190 booths to immunise 30,352 children in Bantwal taluk, 164 booths for 19,659 children in Beltangady taluk, 347 booths for 69,074 children in Mangaluru taluk, 145 booths for 21,456 children in Puttur, and 75 booths for 10,857 in Sullia taluk. Totally, 921 booths have been set up to immunise 1,51,398 children in the district.
Six mobile pulse polio booths have also been deployed, of which, two are in Mangaluru Rural, three under the limits Mangaluru City Corporation and one is in Sullia.
There are a total number of 26 transit teams (including bus stand, railway station and airport).
Meanwhile, chief minister B S Yediyurappa also inaugurated the programme in Bengaluru and asked the public to get two drops of polio drops administered to their babies in order to protect them from contracting the disease.
Speaking to reporters, Yediyurappa said, "Media should give widespread coverage to the pulse polio programme and make it a grand success. PM Modi is also involved in the programme. In our state polio drops are being given to 64 lac children."
The programme was originally slated to be held on January 17. However, it was postponed as the coronavirus vaccine had arrived at that time in the state. In Karnataka, 85,05,060 doses of pulse polio vaccination is available. There are 1,10,179 vaccinators to administer. As many as 6,645 teams of supervisors and 904 mobile teams are also made ready. In Karnataka, the vaccines are being administered in 32,908 booths.
Earlier, health minister Dr Sudhakar told the media, "Chief minister Yediyurappa is going to inaugurate the pulse polio drive at his official residence on Sunday. Even if the parents have got the drops administered to their child, they need to do so once again. There is no side effect in this. There has been no polio infection in the country for the past 10 to 11 years. It has been totally eradicated in India. However, as it is still prevalent in our neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, this vaccination needs to be given to babies compulsorily."