A significant public health initiative is set to unfold in Dakshina Kannada district, with health authorities preparing to administer polio drops to approximately 1.4 lakh children below the age of five. This extensive campaign is scheduled for Sunday, December 21, and will operate across a vast network of centres throughout the region.
Comprehensive Coverage Across the District
The vaccination programme will be conducted from 8 am to 5 pm at 956 designated centres. The district-level launch event will be inaugurated at Lady Goschen Hospital in Mangaluru at 8 am, as confirmed by District Health Officer Dr. HR Thimmaiah. To ensure wider accessibility, the polio drops will also be available at all primary health centres and government hospitals from 9 am to 2 pm on the same day.
Ensuring No Child is Missed: Follow-up Plans
Understanding that some children might not be able to visit the centres on the designated day, the health department has devised a robust follow-up strategy. ASHA workers will conduct door-to-door visits to cover any missed children. In urban areas, this mobile vaccination effort will take place on December 22, 23, and 24. For rural parts of Dakshina Kannada, the teams will be active on December 22 and 23.
Furthermore, to cater to the mobile population, the drive includes innovative measures. Three mobile booths will be deployed to ply across Mangaluru city. Additionally, 32 transit vaccination teams will be stationed at key transit points including bus stands, the railway station, and the Mangaluru International Airport.
Why Continued Vaccination Remains Crucial
Dr. Thimmaiah emphasized the critical importance of sustaining high vaccination coverage, despite India's remarkable achievement of being polio-free for the past 14 years. He highlighted that the poliovirus continues to be a threat as active cases are still reported in neighbouring countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. Continuous immunization is therefore essential to maintain population immunity and prevent any potential importation or resurgence of the debilitating disease within Indian borders.
This coordinated effort by the Dakshina Kannada health department underscores a proactive commitment to safeguarding the youngest citizens from polio, ensuring the district and the nation maintain their hard-won polio-free status.
