Sahil verma
JAMMU/SRINAGAR: About 84 per cent of children below five years of age were given polio drops here on Sunday in booths set up across the State for the first phase of pulse polio immunisation programme.
According to State Immunization Officer, Dr Yangchan Dolma 84.47 per cent of the targeted children in the State were administered oral polio drops at the end of first day of three-day immunisation programme.
“We have administered polio drops to 16.83 lakh children across the State. The remaining 3.09 lakh will be covered during the door-to-door visits over the next two days,” she informed.
More than 11,000 booths have been set up in the State with over 25 lakh doses being made available for the children. For this, about 45,000 workers from the health and allied departments have been deputed.
The Jammu and Kashmir State is maintaining ‘Polio Free status’ since 2011. It has also achieved cent percent coverage during the polio immunisation campaign last year and expected to continue the same this year.
The second phase of polio immunization campaign is scheduled for 21st February, 2016.
In Jammu, the campaign was launched by Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department Dr M.K Bhandari here at Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar. Bhandari said that the campaign aimed at achieving polio free society.
Director Health Services Jammu Dr B.S Pathania informed STATE TIMES that Jammu province has covered about 79.49 per cent of the targeted children. He mentioned that there are about 8,99,408 children in which 7,14,978 were administered drops.
On the occasion, Mission Director NHM Dr. Mohan Singh, Director Family Welfare J and K Dr. Baldev Sharma, Project Director JKSACS Dr. Saleem-ur-Rehman, Chief Medical Officer Dr Robinder Khajuria and Medical Superintendent Dr Younis Choudhary were also present.
Meanwhile, District Development Commissioner, Srinagar, Dr. Farooq Ahmad Lone launched the campaign at Urban Primary Health Centre, Batmaloo.
State Immunization Officer, Dr Dolma informed that in Srinagar the campaign has achieved a target of about 88.41 per cent by administering polio drops among 9,40,918 children with a target of 10,64,169 children.
Similarly, the Ladakh region has achieved a milestone by achieving record 93.83 per cent immunization wherein the polio drops were administered to 27,610 children targeting of 29,424 children, she added.
Executive Councilor, Agriculture Tsering Angdus inaugurated Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme at District Immunisation Centre, Leh besides flagging off a team of supervisors to various locations for supervision of the programme.
At Budgam, District Development Commissioner, Mir Altaf Ahmad kicked-off pulse polio immunization drive at district hospital.
At Ganderbal, District Development Commissioner, Showkat Aijaz Bhat gave oral polio vaccine to a baby in district hospital.
At Anantnag, District Development Commissioner, Muneer-ul-Islam launched the drive with an aim to eradicate the disease from the district.
At Pulwama and Shopian, the immunization drive was launched by Deputy Commissioners of the respective districts.
At Baramulla, District Development Commissioner Yasha Mudgal inaugurated the three day IPPI by administering the oral vaccine to a baby in the district hospital.
At Bandipora, DDC Sajad Hussain inaugurated the drive at district hospital.
In far-flung tehsil of Gurez, the immunization drive was launched by Tehsildar Gurez at Sub-district Hospital Dawar.
At Kupwara, District Development Commissioner, Kumar Rajive Ranjan administered polio doses to some new born infants.
At Kulgam, Additional District Development Commissioner, Mushtaq Ahmad inaugurated the campaign at district hospital.
