Over 40,000 kids given polio drops
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 20 2013 : Like in other parts of the country, children below five years of age have been administered polio drops today at a number of booths opened throughout the state as a part of the year's first phase 'intensified pulse polio immunisation' campaign.

The State level campaign was officially launched by Principal Secretary (Health & Family Welfare) Ram Muivah by administering polio drops to children at the BT Road office complex of Directorate of Family Welfare Services this morning.

In his brief address, Ram Muivah cautioned that despite no fresh report about fresh polio case in the country there is need for sustaining the campaign against the highly infectious viral disease to ensure a healthy future generation.

Conveying that maintaining cleanliness and hygienic lifestyle are essential elements to shield infants from polio infection, he expressed that parents should shoulder responsibility to curb the disease.

State Mission Director (SHS) Devesh Deval in his speech at the occasion, informed that the first round of the polio vaccination campaign will cover three days till January 22 while the second round drive would be conducted from January 24 till 26 .

A child being administered polio drops

The Director also called upon the parents to bring their children at polio administration booths being set up at all the localities throughout the State.

Responding to the country-wide campaign call parents and family elders were seen escorting children to polio booths opened at educational institutions, clubs and security forces complexes.

Official sources conveyed that nearly 40,000 children upto five years were covered in the first round today for which a total of 3609 polio booths were set up.

Besides exhausting 22,912 vials today, the campaign was carried out with the assistance of 722 supervisors, including anganwadi workers and helpers, and 14,436 vaccinators.

At the Mantripukhri campus of 69 Bn CRPF, DIGP CRPF BD Das and unit Commandant Rakesh kumar Singh, along with their respective better-half, launched the campaign during which over 250 children were administered polio drops.

As a component of the campaign, State's Family Welfare Department distributed leaflets for information of the general public and to drive home the point that extra doses given to a child, already immunised earlier, will cause no harm to the child.

Pointing out that polio infection might lead to paralysis, crippling for life, the Department highlighted that along with maintaining cleanliness, administering polio drop is the surest way to protect the children from the disease.

On the otherhand, sectors and units under HQ IGAR (South) in association with health department also organised Pulse Polio immunization programme at their respective locations.

While the 40 Assam Rifles administered Oral Polio drops and immunized against Polio to 1650 children at Keithelmanbi, Singjamei, canchipur, Lilong and Andro, 44 AR conducted immunization camps at Kamjong and Chassad villages of Kamjong sub division, Ukhrul district, which covered more than 100 children.

The 27 AR on its part immunised total of 384 children at Kakching.

Security forces under the aegis of Red Shield Division also conducted Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization camp at Nonei during which wide publicity was also given to spread awareness on Polio to all the villages around Nonei through announcements for the last 3 days.

A total of 94 children below the age of 5 yrs were given vaccines during the Immunization camp, added a PIB (DW) release.