UP kickstarts week-long immunisation drive

Lucknow, Mar 1 (ANI): Around a lakh twenty five thousand immunisation booths have been set up across Uttar Pradesh to administer polio drops to children on the first day of a week-long imunisation drive.

The drive is targeted against the P1 virus of polio. The state has successfully managed to keep the infection at bay for the last three weeks.

The P1 virus is the most dangerous form of polio virus, as it can travel long distances.

Nearly 60,000 health workers will be conducting door-to-door surveys from Monday to give polio drops to children.

About 6500 transit teams have been deployed at railway and bus stations for the immunization drive.

Over 2000 mobile teams are also participating in the drive.

According to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, India has recorded 196 polio cases till April 22, 2008.

In comparison, three other countries where polio is still endemic - Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan- have together recorded 123 cases. (ANI)