Imphal, January 05: The first phase of pulse polio immunization programme was held today throughout the state.

Children between the age group of 0 to 5 were given polio vaccines.

The inaugural function was held at the Directorate of Family Welfare Services.

The Governor Ved Marwah who was the Chief Guest said children are nation's future.

Every effort has to be made to protect them from diseases, particularly from dangerous diseases like polio.

Prevention of preventable diseases and cure of curable diseases is the essence of the health care programme he said.

It can be prevented so the programme taken up by the government should be supported by all.

He recalled that in May 1988 the 31st World Health Assembly committed WHO to global eradication of poliomyelitis by 2000.The government decided to adopt the strategy by National Immunization Days (NIDs) to achieve the global eradication of polio by the year 2000.The government implemented the strategy of NID from 1995 and in 95 the intensified PPI campaigns were undertaken.

Intensified meant increasing the number of rounds nationally adding such sub national rounds in high burdened states, adding house to house immunization to the booth days and identifying and immunizing any missed children he said.

It is gratifying that the state is now on the verge of polio eradication and no virologically confirmed polio cases have been reported for the last six years.

Importance of people's participation in the welfare programmes taken up by the government cannot be overemphasized.

Involvement of the people is a must in order to achieve the goal set for any welfare programme he added.

Government's welfare programme can best be implemented successfully only with the full cooperation of the people he said.

He reminded that small pox was eradicated in 1977 from India and he hoped that the organizing agencies of the IPPI programme will ensure that I he benefit of the programme reaches the last child in the last row that is to every child living in the interior and remote hilly areas of the state.

The two drops of polio vaccine to all children of 0 to 5 years of age including newborn and sick children are additional doses for additional protection.

Immunization will be done on Day 1 at fixed booths and it will be followed by house to house vaccination on day two and three and even beyond if necessary.

The target this year is 343352 in a total household of more than four lakhs in 3000 villages of the state.

A total of 3361 booths were opened besides mobile and transit teams.

A total of 13,444 vaccinators were detailed and supervised by 672 supervisors.

In 1988 there were 350,000 polio cases and in 2001 there were 483 cases in ten countries which in 2002 increased to 1442 cases in seven countries.

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Somalia are the countries in East Mediterranean, Niger, Nigeria and Zimbabwe in Africa.

In 1995 there were 32630 polio cases in India, in 98 it was 1934, in 2000 it was 265 and in 2001 the number was 268 63 districts.

It increased in 2002 to 1211 in 107 districts mostly from UP, Bihar, WB, Delhi, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Jharkahnd, Gujarat, JK, Maharashtra, MP, Orissa and Chattishgarh.

The operation is supported by World Bank, UNICEF, and WHO etc.

In Indonesia village level women organization known as Family Welfare Movement (PKK) had played pioneering roles in successfully completing three years of polio immunization covering 100 percent of the under fives.

The Indonesian Family Planning programme quickly evolved into a popular movement wherein local communities manage and implement their own activities in reproductive health and welfare.

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