The Pulse Polio campaign was formally launched in Amritsar on Tuesday by Civil Surgeon Dr Rashmi Vij, who administered polio drops to children at a booth set up at Chowk Fawara. The campaign is being conducted under the guidance of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Auto-Rickshaw Rally Raises Awareness
Prior to the launch, an auto-rickshaw awareness rally was flagged off to spread the message about the campaign across the district. The rally traveled through various parts of the city, educating the public on the importance of polio immunisation.
Dr Vij stated that although India has achieved the status of a polio-free country, continuous efforts are essential to maintain this achievement. The WHO conducts Pulse Polio rounds periodically to ensure the virus remains eradicated.
Target and Team Deployment
Under this campaign, 287,498 children in the age group of 0 to 5 years, residing in 544,777 households with a total population of 2,763,949, will be administered two drops of polio vaccine. A total of 1,193 teams have been deployed for this purpose, with 255 supervisors monitoring and supervising their activities.
Teams led by Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Rajinder Pal Kaur, District Family Welfare Officer Dr Neelam Bhagat, Dr Jaganjot Kaur, District MEIO Amardeep Singh, and Dr Neha Aggarwal, along with the entire health staff, will visit households to administer the drops.
Public Cooperation Vital
Dr Vij emphasised that active cooperation from the general public is vital to combat an incurable disease like polio. She urged parents to ensure their children receive the vaccine during the campaign.
