The first round of pulse polio immunisation drive began across the district today. Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep launched the drive by administering polio drops to a child at the DHO office in Nazarbad this morning.

Speaking on the occasion, Randeep said that the drive was aimed at making the country totally free of polio.

Explaining the salient features of the drive, the DC said that 34 mobile polio centres will move around Railway Station, Bus Stands, tourist spots and other public joints to enable commuters and travellers to get polio drops administered to their children.

Pointing out that children below 5 years should be administered polio drops, irrespective of the number of times they had earlier, the DC sought the co-operation of parents for making the drive a grand success.

DHO Dr. B. Basavaraj, District Pulse Polio Nodal Officer Dr. Swatantra Kumar Balakar, District Surgeon Dr. M. Pashupathy, MMC&RI Dean and Director Dr. B. Krishnamurthy, MCC Health Officer Dr. Nagaraj, District RCH Officer Dr. S. Gopinath and others were present.

A total of 1,586 polio booths across the district, including 308 in the city, have been set up for today’s drive. The drive will continue for three more days from tomorrow in urban areas and two more days in rural areas, with pulse polio activists visiting every household to administer polio drops to children less than 5 years of age, who missed today’s immunisation drive.

The administration aims to cover 2,98,694 children across the district including 1,06,094 in the city alone during the first round of the campaign.

A total of 6,352 personnel and 320 supervisors are engaged in the drive across the district.                     

The second round of pulse polio campaign will take place on Apr. 30.