Pulse Polio drive from Oct 24

CHANDIGARH, Sept 30: Over 12.5 crore children, below five years of age, will be administered Oral Polio Vaccine during Intensive Pulse Polio Immunisation IPPI campaign starting from October 24. In Punjab almost 33 lakh children have been identified for administering the vaccine. This was stated by Manoranjan Kalia, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab, while launching the social mobilisation campaign for IPPI here today.

Kalia was hopeful that Punjab would soon find a place in the polio-free map of the world. He said that consistent observance of Pulse Polio campaigns for the last four years has lead to a sharp decline in the number of cases in India. quot;In Punjab also, the number of cases reported has come down from 237 in 1992 to 14 in 1999,quot; he added.

Kalia said that there would be a change in the strategy this year; it will include four rounds instead of two as in earlier campaigns. The drops would be administered on October 24, November 21, December 19, and January 23, 2000. Director Health services R.S.Sandhu, Punjab, said that 60,000 workers from various government, semi-government and voluntary bodies will be deployed to administer the vaccines in over 16,000 camps in villages, urban areas, slums and railway stations.