UP enters another pulse polio phase on Feb 26

Lucknow, Feb 23 (UNI) Fresh from winning accolades from the World Health Organisation (WHO) for successful implementation of polio eradication programme, Uttar Pradesh enters into another pulse polio drive with renewed vigour on February 26.

Polio cases, which are already down from 82 in 2004 to 29 in 2005 in 14 UP districts, have spurred the state government to erdicate the menace by year end.

''We achieved positive results following sustained efforts in the last pulse polio drives...we hope to eradicate polio by year end,'' UP family welfare minister Ahmad Hasan told reporters here today.

Claiming the state governmnet had accorded highest priority to polio, he claimed UP had come in for encomiums from WHO and the centre for successful implementation of the polio campaign.

About a lakh polio booths would be operational during the next phase of the drive scheduled on February 26.

The polio affected UP districts include Ferozabad, Rampur, Hathras, Aligarh, Baghpat, Bijnore, Shahajahanpur, Moradabad, Etah, Agra, Badaun, Bareilly, Mainpuri and Bulandshahr.

UNI SB VS PA RS1620