From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jan 21: A massive state-wide pulse polio immunization campaign for children below the age of 5 years under the National Polio Eradication Programme will be implemented throughout Karnataka on January 23.

Addressing reporters on Friday, commissioner for state health and family welfare department D N Nayak said Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa would formally inaugurate the programme in Bangalore and it would be implemented though out the state with the active cooperation of all development departments, voluntary agencies and organizations.

Children suffering from fever, cold and cough would also be administered drops. The drops would not be administered to only those children who are critically ill or are in the intensive care unit (ICU), he said pointing out that the pulse polio campaign was necessary to prevent children from being afflicted by the chronic desease and forced to suffer for the rest of their life.

A total of 73.24 lac children up to 5 years are targeted for the administration of polio drops from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the government health centres, corporation health centres, and dispensaries.

As many as 31,010 booths have been established and 48,995 teams and 6,202 supervisors and 97,110 vaccinators would be involved in the state-wide exercise. In addition, 1672 transit teams and 934 mobile teams would be pressed into service to provide a massive total of 97.88 lac dose polio drops to children below the age of 5 years.

The number of countries affected by polio has come down from a record 125 to four including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria. Since 2007, no new case of polio has been reported in the state, which indicates that the state is heading towards eradication of the disease, he added.