The National Pulse Polio Campaign will be implemented across all districts of Haryana from June 28 to 30, 2026, as announced by health officials. In Karnal district, approximately 750 vaccination booths and nearly 1,500 door-to-door teams have been deployed to administer oral polio vaccine to 1,73,308 children aged 0-5 years, said Dr Poonam Chaudhary, Civil Surgeon, Karnal.
Campaign Logistics and Supervision
Dr Chaudhary stated that the campaign will be supervised by 146 supervisors. Additionally, 73 mobile teams, including 16 transit teams, have been formed to cover children on the move. A total of 3,296 employees and officers will participate in the campaign, and all necessary preparations are complete.
Polio-Free Status and Continued Vigilance
She further noted that Haryana has reported no polio case since January 2010, and India has been polio-free since January 2011, leading to India being declared polio-free on February 11, 2014. However, neighboring countries Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to report polio cases, maintaining a risk of importation. Therefore, polio eradication campaigns are conducted repeatedly in India.
Focus on High-Risk Areas
To ensure no polio case emerges, travelers entering and leaving India receive polio vaccination. This campaign places special emphasis on children in high-risk areas such as brick kilns, ashrams, factories, rice mills, slum areas, and nomadic populations, where migratory patterns increase polio transmission risk. The last polio case in Haryana in 2010 and the last case in India in 2011 both originated from migratory populations, Dr Chaudhary added.
Surveillance and Public Cooperation
Deputy Civil Surgeon Dr Shashi Garg said polio booths have been set up at all railway stations and bus stands to ensure children arriving from outside receive polio drops, helping Haryana remain polio-free. “Since no polio case has been reported in India since 2011, we now need to strengthen our polio surveillance system even more so that no polio case comes to India from any other country,” she said. The Civil Surgeon urged all district residents to ensure every child aged 0-5 years receives polio drops.
Preparatory Meetings
For smooth implementation, an initial meeting was held in early June at the Mini Secretariat by the Deputy Commissioner, who gave necessary instructions to all department heads. Additionally, the Civil Surgeon instructed in-charges of health institutions in the Health Department, Karnal, to review preparations for the programme's successful execution.
