More than 95% of the 3.54 lakh children up to 5 years were administered polio drops in Prakasam district on Sunday.
Environment Minister Sidda Raghava Rao formally inaugurated the second phase of the Pulse Polio Immunisation programme by giving polio drops to a few tiny-tots at the upgraded Chief Minister’s Urban Health Centre at the Venkateswara colony here on Sunday.
Parents brought their children to the 2,408 pulse polio centres across the district— manned by 10,500 health workers — to guard their dear ones from the dreaded infection.
“We are sure to achieve 100% coverage this time,” said District Medical and Health Officer S. Rajyalakshmi after visiting some of the immunisation centres in N.G.Padu mandal where a good number of farm workers turned up at dusk.
High-risk groups
The health workers fanned out to remote areas to administer the drops to children in high risk groups, including children on the move, those in slums and those living in remote tribal hamlets in the Nallamalla forests, to achieve 100% immunisation coverage, she said, adding those left out would be covered in the next two day as they would be visiting them door-to-door.
Special Correspondent from Kurnool adds: Deputy Chief Minister K.E. Krishnamurthy launched the pulse polio drive by administering oral polio drops to children in Prakashnagar in Kurnool.
Kurnool MLA S.V. Mohan Reddy and District Collector S. Satyanarayana also administered drops to children. Kurnool Municipal Commissioner C.B. Harinatha Reddy, DMHO J.V.V.R.K. Prasad and others were present.
Also, Kurnool MP Butta Renuka administered polio drops to children at the urban health centre in Joharapuram.
