HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 28: The National Pulse Polio Immunisation Drive commenced across several districts of Assam on Sunday, with health authorities launching intensive campaigns to vaccinate children below five years of age and reinforce the country’s polio-free status.
In Morigaon, the district administration, in collaboration with the Joint Director of Health Services, launched a three-day immunisation campaign targeting 1,41,345 children below the age of five years.
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The programme was inaugurated by Joint Director of Health Services Dr Sailendra Bardhan Bora, who said elaborate arrangements had been made to ensure that every eligible child receives the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).
The inaugural programme was attended by district immunisation officer Dr Niranjan Konwar, National Health Mission district programme manager Jufin Sultana, district family planning coordinator Baharul Ulum Chowdhary and circle officer Naba Kumar Medhi.
A felicitation programme preceded the launch.
Health officials said 914 Pulse Polio booths have been established across the district, with 3,426 booth workers deployed to carry out the campaign.
The drive will continue until June 30, with health teams conducting house-to-house visits to vaccinate children who miss the booth-based immunisation.
In Golaghat, the District Health Society launched the campaign at the District Early Intervention Centre of Swahid Kushal Konwar Civil Hospital.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (Health) Jintu Bora inaugurated the programme in the presence of Joint Director of Health Services Dr Rajib Ranjan Gogoi, State Observer Dr Amiya Kumar, Additional Chief Medical and Health Officer Dr Sanjib Saikia, Superintendent Dr Dilip Deka, District Immunisation Officer Dr Kabita Uzir and officials of the National Health Mission.
Polio drops were administered to children during the inaugural programme.
Dr Gogoi stressed the importance of timely vaccination in protecting children against poliomyelitis.
Health authorities said the campaign would be supervised by 170 supervisors, while ASHAs, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, medical officers, NHM personnel and 1,464 Anganwadi workers have been engaged in the drive.
Door-to-door visits will be conducted on June 29 and 30 to ensure that no eligible child is left out.
In Biswanath district, the Lokra Battalion of Assam Rifles organised a Pulse Polio Immunisation programme at its Unit MI Room as part of the nationwide initiative.
A total of 48 children below the age of five years received the Oral Polio Vaccine during the drive.
The Battalion Medical Team, in coordination with local health authorities, also conducted awareness programmes for parents and guardians on the importance of routine immunisation and prevention of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Assam Rifles stated that the initiative reflected its continued commitment to supporting national public health programmes, strengthening civil-military relations and contributing to community welfare.
In Dima Hasao, the campaign got off to an encouraging start, with the district achieving 86 per cent of its target population on the opening day.
The programme was inaugurated by Dima Hasao Autonomous Council Executive Member in charge of Health and Family Welfare Probita Johari at Mahur Public Health Centre in the presence of Joint Director of Health Services Dr Sarsing Rongpi, senior doctors and health workers.
In-charge chief medical and health officer Dr Merina Changsan said the district aims to immunise 28,602 children below five years of age across 827 villages.
A total of 558 Pulse Polio booths have been established and 2,192 personnel, including ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and supervisors, have been deployed.
Door-to-door vaccination will continue on June 29 and 30 to ensure complete coverage.
Karbi Anglong also launched the Sub-National Immunisation Day under the Intensive Pulse Polio Immunisation (IPPI) programme.
The district-level programme was inaugurated at the Diphu Urban Health Centre by Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Deputy Secretary Bidyashri Langthasa. The district has set a target of vaccinating around 94,000 children below five years of age.
Health workers will conduct house-to-house visits over the next two days to vaccinate children who miss the booth-based campaign, while the Health Department appealed to parents and guardians to ensure every eligible child receives the vaccine.
In Cachar, more than 1.9 lakh children received the Oral Polio Vaccine on the opening day, accounting for nearly 70 per cent of the district’s target of 2,78,073 children.
The campaign was inaugurated at Urban Primary Health Centre, Silchar, by MLA Rajdeep Roy and at Kalain Community Health Centre by MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha.
The district has established 1,312 Pulse Polio booths and deployed 5,228 frontline workers, 267 supervisors, medical officers, mobile teams and transit teams to ensure complete coverage, including in remote areas.
Door-to-door vaccination began on Sunday evening and will continue until June 30.
Health authorities across the districts appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that every child below five years of age receives the Pulse Polio vaccine, irrespective of their previous immunisation status, to help sustain India’s hard-earned polio-free status.
