Thousands of children below five years of age were administered polio drops in the State-wide pulse polio immunisation campaign on Sunday. The parents in all parts of the State were seen taking their kids to the polio booths during the day. The State health department had set up 9,886 booths across the State for administering the vaccine.
The State Immunisation Officer Dr Saroj Naithani told The Pioneer that about 8.90 lakh children across the State were immunised during the day. She informed that the highlight of the campaign this time was participation of over 90 per cent of Asha workers. Dr Naithani said that though the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared India polio-free, but due to the presence of virus in the neighboring countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan threat to country from the polio virus still persists.
She informed that Uttarakhand is on high risk category for the disease since large number of people from Pakistan and Afghanistan visit the Piran Kaliyar shrine located in the State. The medical health and family welfare department has constituted 11,950 teams, which would visit every household of State in next five days to administer drop to the children.
In Dehradun district, 1,200 booths were setup to administer polio drops. The Raipur MlA and parliamentary secretary Umesh Sharma ‘Kau’ started the campaign in the district at Kaliaka temple booth. The Deputy Chief medical officer Dr D K Chakranpani said that 1,27,609 children were administered drops at 1,447 booths on the day. He said that 52.47 per cent children arrived at the booths on the day, which is two per cent more than last time.