In a significant public health initiative, the state of Andhra Pradesh successfully administered pulse polio vaccine drops to approximately 40 lakh children under the age of five on Sunday. The large-scale immunisation drive, part of the statewide Pulse Polio Immunisation programme, saw active participation across districts until 8:30 pm.
Door-to-Door Campaign to Cover Remaining Children
To ensure no child is left behind, the health department has mobilised a massive force of 76,534 teams. These teams will conduct door-to-door visits on December 22 and 23 to vaccinate children who could not receive the crucial polio drops on the main drive day. The state has set an ambitious target of immunising over 54 lakh children below five years of age.
Minister Launches Drive, Stresses Community Role
The campaign was formally launched by Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav at the Rama Rao Peta Urban Health Centre in Kakinada on Sunday morning. Speaking at the event, the minister appealed for the cooperation of parents and all citizens to achieve a polio-free society. He emphasised that community participation is critical to the enduring success of the programme.
Minister Yadav highlighted the state's strong track record, noting that the last reported polio case was in the undivided East Godavari district back in 2008. No cases have been recorded in Andhra Pradesh since that time. He stated that the coalition government is working with firm commitment to realise the vision of 'Arogya Andhra Pradesh', where child health protection and preventive healthcare are top priorities.
Logistical Support and Future Plans
To support this extensive drive, the Central government has already supplied 98 lakh doses of the polio vaccine to the state. These doses have been dispatched to all healthcare centres to ensure seamless availability. The minister also revealed that a high-level committee has been constituted to implement robust and effective public health interventions across Andhra Pradesh.
The concerted efforts of the medical and health teams, backed by strong government support and community awareness, aim to shield every young child from the debilitating poliovirus, moving steadily towards the ultimate goal of a polio-free future.
