Spl immunisation drive in Asom after polio death

Guwahati, Nov 19 (UNI) A special polio immunisation drive for 0-5 year old- children will be undertaken for next five months after a polio death was reported from Karimganj district in Asom recently.

State Health minister Himanta Biswa Sharma told a news conference today the drive would ensure no child was left out from the vaccination drive. The regular polio immunisation programme would also run concurrently, he added.

He said a medical investigation into the polio death revealed the virus was borne from western Uttar Pradesh, as people of the region were exposed to migrating labourers from northern India.

Mr Sharma maintained the health department had adequate supplies of polio vaccine.

He said, ''Shortage of medical staff at the health centers was a problem until recently. But with the recruitment of new staff, vaccines will be administered more efficiently.'' He informed that a UNICEF study had shown that only 35 per cent of the children between 0-5 year-old-children were covered by the immunisation drives in Asom. whereas a state government report put the figure as high as 75 per cent.

However, the department was following the UNICEF figure as it was a totally independent survey and measures were being taken to reach out to all the children, he added.

UNI SG PC PA KP1957