Ensure no child left out during polio drive

Anantapur: District Collector O Anand urged all departments to coordinate closely for the successful rollout of Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme on Sunday (December 21), ensuring no child in the 0-5 age group is missed.

On Saturday, he flagged off an awareness rally from Arts College to Saptagiri Circle in Anantapur city and joined officials and healthcare workers in the march.

Addressing the gathering, Anand said the programme, supervised by the District Medical and Health Department, is fully prepared. The district targets 2,84,774 children aged 0-5 years. Immunisation will occur across 31 mandals through 82 units, including 51 Primary Health Centres, 25 Urban Primary Health Centres, and six PPI units. Polio drops will be administered at 1,785 booths (1,451 rural, 334 urban) with 5,247 personnel on December 21. Door-to-door vaccination follows on December 22-23 to cover missed children. For transit children, 58 teams are deployed at bus and railway stations, supported by 68 mobile teams. Extensive IEC activities at Anganwadi centres have raised awareness among parents and caregivers.

DM&HO Dr EB Devi, District Immunisation Officer Dr Sashibhushan Reddy, District MalariaOfficer Obulu, other health officials, nursing college students and medical staff participated.