Hyderabad: The Telangana government reviewed preparations for the Pulse Polio campaign beginning on June 28. It directed officials to ensure every child below five years receives polio drops.
Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha chaired a review meeting with senior officials at the Rajiv Aarogyasri office in Jubilee Hills on Friday. He instructed officials to complete all arrangements. He also asked them to ensure that no eligible child is left uncovered.
The Minister directed officials to administer polio drops through booths, mobile teams and door-to-door visits. He stressed that every child aged between zero and five years must receive the vaccine.
Pulse Polio campaign targets over 40 lakh children
Officials told the Minister they will administer polio drops at booths across the state on June 28. They will visit homes on June 29 and 30 to vaccinate children who miss the first round.
Moreover, the Minister directed officials to extend the campaign to July 1 in Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts. He cited their large urban populations.
The Health Department has set up 22,979 polio booths, 903 mobile teams and 903 transit points. The campaign aims to cover about 40.97 lakh children below five years.
The department supplied 52.04 lakh doses of the bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to all districts. As many as 8,393 ANMs, 27,181 ASHA workers, 34,442 Anganwadi workers, nursing students, teachers and volunteers will join the campaign.
Pulse Polio campaign focuses on vulnerable children
The Minister directed officials to focus on children of migrant workers. He also asked them to cover children at brick kilns, construction sites, urban slums, new colonies and tribal areas.
Furthermore, he directed the Health Department to coordinate with the Women and Child Welfare, Municipal Administration, Panchayat Raj, Education and RTC departments. The coordination will help ensure complete coverage.
Officials recalled that Telangana reported its last polio case in 2007. Since then, the state has maintained its polio-free status.
Damodar Rajanarsimha urged parents to bring every child below five years to the nearest polio booth on June 28. He said children should receive two drops even if they received the vaccine earlier. Repeated doses provide complete protection.