Hundreds of thousands of children upto five administered polio drops

New Delhi, Apr 9 (UNI) Hundreds of thousands of children aged upto five years were administered polio drops under an intensified nationwide pulse polio campaign today.

This time, the programme would have a special focus on covering Jhuggi-Jhopdi clusters and ''unreached'' children in Delhi, according to an official spokesman.

Special arrangements were made at all Metro stations as also trains, religious places, hospitals, bus terminals, railway stations and schools, for the purpose.

In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ahmad Hassan said the vital drops were administered to children at 1,06,160 booths manned by 3,18,480 health workers.

The April phase will be ensued by 58,915 teams of health workers fanning out to the nook and cranny of the state. More than 19,600 observers have also been deployed in the state to monitor the process, Mr Hassan added.

In addition to these, 10,313 mobile transit teams have been constituted to administer pulse polio drops to children on board buses, trains and at public places.

About 26.5 lakh children were administered polio drops in Haryana under the immunisation campaign.

According to the state health department, 15,361 booths had been set up for the purpose besides mobile teams. Volunteers would also be sent from door to door to ensure every child is immunised.

In Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan kicked off the campaign. About 44,000 polio booths were set up across the state besides 1,350 mobile teams and 2,500 transit teams.

In the state capital, a target had been set up to administer drops to 3.40 lakh children at 1,323 booths.

Bedias of Mahato Sub-castes today boycotted Pulse-Polio programme in West Bengal's remoteest South Dinajpur district. As a result, more than 3000 Bedia children under age of 5 years could not get the polio drops.

They were protesting against the claiming of OBC status by some people of Kurmi community.

More than 70 lakh children were administered polio drops under the first phase of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme in Tamil Nadu.

Immunisation booths were set up in Government Hospitals, Primary Health Centres, Health Sub Centres, Noon Meal Centres, Schools and other important places. Besides, transit booths and mobile teams were also set up to cover the entire population.

In the first phase of the pulse polio immunisation programme in Manipur, launched today, about 3.50 lakh children were targeted.

UNI TEAM YA RAI1950