State aims to immunise 353 lakh children
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 23 2022:
The national Immunisation Day/Intensified Pulse Polio Immunisation (IPPI) programme, which was delayed in respect of the state due to the recent state assembly election, will be conducted from March 24 to 26 with a target of covering 3,53,774 children in the age group of 0 to 5 years.
A media sensitisation programme in this regard was held at the conference hall of the directorate of family welfare services, here on Wednesday.
Speaking on the occasion, family welfare joint director Dr T Nilakanta explained that out of 100 polio cases, only a handful suffers from serious complications.
Though the infection rate is very low, family members of such patients have to face certain difficulties.
Once infected, the disease is untreatable and so prevention is the only way to stay safe from the disease, he cautioned.
Though children are provided polio drops as part of their routine immunisation, supplementary immunisation programme is carried out on national immunisation day to ensure safety of children, especially for those vulnerable children, who are often left out from the routine immunisation programme, he said while urging the public to make sure their children get the polio drop without fail.
He also urged media to play major role in creating awareness among the public.
Family welfare deputy director Dr Gaipu Longmei said that during the three-day immunisation programme, polio drops will be administered at health facilities, schools, anganwadi centres and transit points on the first day.
The next two days will be mop up round wherein, healthcare workers will visit house to house to ensure every child is covered.
The department has a target of covering 3,53,774 children up to the age of 5 years and polio drops will be administered through 3538 booths, 708 supervisors and 14,151 administrators.
The last polio case was detected in Howrah, West Bengal in 2011 .
Later, in 2014, the WHO declared India as polio free country.
However, there are still polio cases in the neighbouring countries and it is necessary to continue the polio immunisation programme to prevent any cross-border infection, he said, while urging the public to extend support in making the programme successful.
Family welfare DDO Dr Th Dineshwar was also present during the Wednesday's media sensitisation programme.