Schools to spread pulse polio message

Several of those who attended the seminar held in the Corporation Hall of the BMC felt that children are the most receptive learners and can carry the message of health to their homes and educate those who they interact with there.

Secondly, the media 8212; both print and electronic 8212; can reach a larger audience with aggressive propaganda. However, these mediums should be attuned with government agencies so that the programmecan intensify the goal of complete eradication of the polio virus, they opined.

The seminar discussed the many problems that prevented the smooth operation of administering the polio vaccine. Participants felt that the programme received a better response in slum areas rather than the higher income groups which depend on private doctors for advice and immunisation. Nearly 70 per cent of the city8217;s population availed of the campaign last year, said Executive Health Officer Dr Alka Karande.

Public Health Committee Secretary Kranti Sathe said the higher income group stayed away from public centres as they were wary of the effectiveness of the dose. 8220;The vials needs to be stored at 4 degrees Celcius but were being kept in containers with temperatures varying between 25 and 30 degrees Celcius. Suspecting the packaging and storage of the dose, they did not come forward,8221; she said.

Karande countered that the 8220;cold chain 8221; is maintained from vaccine manufacturers to end-users. 8220;We have refrigerationfacilities at all our medical centres and freeze the vaccine at 4 degrees Celsius. The temperature is constantly monitored by thermometers. In a city like Mumbai, except on one occasion, we did not face any power breakdowns. Hence the transfer of the vaccine in proper conditions is ensured,8221; she said.

The immunisation campaign this year will be spread over four days, October 24, November 21, December 19 and January 23, 2000. About 6,800 centres and 10 mobile centres will be set up throughout the city to administer the dose to an estimated 11.5 lakh children. A total of 21,000 civic staff and 21,000 volunteers will be involved in the task.

Every centre will be manned by three civic employees and three volunteers. The centres will be set up in private, civic and government dispensaries, health posts, maternity homes, hospitals, religious places, party offices, railway and ST depots, octroi nakas, etc. The medical health officer at the ward level will be the nodal agency. The railways will set upimmunisation booths on long-distance trains so that children travelling out of the city can be immunised in the trains themselves.

One of the participants called for the continuation of centres beyond the listed immunisation days. 8220;Some children arrive at the camp a couple of days late, and their parents are told that the programme is over and nothing can be done,8221; she said. Karande replied that the programme is usually carried out according to government policy, ie, holding the programme on four days only. 8220;We cannot solve this problem unless we talk to the state government and the Directorate of Health Services,8221; she said.

Additional Municipal Commissioner G S Gill said the cost for Mumbai city worked out to Rs 2.11 crore, of which the BMC will spend Rs 1.03 crore. The rest would be made up via donations. Deputy Mayor Dr Ram Barot said the programme aimed at reaching as many children as possible and appealed to the representatives present to donate generously.