Pulse Polio launched, Bihar vows eradication

Patna, Jan 7 (UNI) Bihar Health Minister Chandramohan Rai today launched the first round of polio drive for 2007 and vowed total eradication of the disease from the state.

While launching the polio drive at a health centre here, Mr Rai said the state government would work with 'renewed vigour' to achieve the target of total eradication of the disease. ''We need to examine how the programme can be further improved to fulfil the mission facing the local challneges due to various reasons,'' he added.

Speaking on the occasion, state representative of UNICEF Bijay Rajbhandari said,''The partners in the polio eradication programme have a challenge ahead and that the good practices established in Bihar will help in reaching out to the children''.

''The support provided by Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) department to the polio programme through its Anganwadi network is exemplary as around 92 per cent of the new borns are being tracked through the Anganwadi centres and this data is being shared with vaccinator'' he added.

The first polio round of the year has the target of reaching 2.05 crore children. More than 90,000 vaccinators either moved from house to house or as transit teams would make an effort to reach all the children of the state below five years of age.

There would be 9,614 'transit teams' at strategic locations and 1201 mobile teams. There would also be 332 'mela teams' in places where festivals and fairs were taking place.

UNI