Additional polio drops to 72 lakh kids in TN

Chennai, Feb 10 (UNI) About 72 lakh children below five years of age, including migrant children, were administered additional polio drops as part of the second phase of pulse polio campaign in the State today.

Though Tamil Nadu remained a polio free state for the last four years, the administration of second dose of Oral Polio Vaccine was to prevent transmission of polio virus into Tamil Nadu from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and also in northern states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh where polio was prevalent.

About two lakh personnel, including volunteers from NGOs like Rotary were involved in this mega campaign.

Polio drops were administered to children through the 40,400 immunisation booths set up in government hospitals, primary health centres, health sub-centres, noon meal centres, schools and other important places.

Mobile teams deployed in railway stations, airport, bus depots and tourist spots also administered polio drops to children in transit.

Special efforts had been taken to cover the children of migrant workers settled at construction sites and other places.

Government officials said the second dose of Oral Polio Vaccine would be administered to all those children, who had received first dose and also those children missed during the first round campaign.

''Newborn children were also administered polio drops,'' officials said.

UNI GV SJ BDP KN1458