Date:16/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/16/stories/2005051606210300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Pulse polio drive launched

Staff Reporter

MLA stresses on need to maintain tempo till the disease is wiped out

Health Conscious: The CPI(M) MLA, M.A. Gafoor, launching the pulse polio programme in Kurnool on Sunday. The DMHO, K.K. Saiprasad, is seen.

KURNOOLCUDDAPAHCHITTOORNELLORE: The MLA, M.A. Gafoor, formally launched the pulse polio programme at M.H. Appa School in Sriramnagar here on Sunday. The Joint Collector, Ramsankar Naik, the DMHO, K.K. Saiprasad, the Municipal Commissioner, Venkateswarlu and others were present.

With the launch of the pulse polio programme, positive impact was seen in the past few years, Mr. Gafoor said. He stressed the need to maintain the tempo till the disease was wiped out and appreciated the media for sensitising the society on the issue. The staff of Medical and Health Department and others took part in the programme.

3.26 lakh kids covered

KURNOOLCUDDAPAHCHITTOORNELLORE: Polio drops were administered to 3.26 lakhs children below five years in 3,047 pulse polio immunisation centres in the district on Sunday.

The Zilla Parishad Chairman, K. Suresh Babu, launched the programme by administering polio drops to children at Innareddy Memorial Upper Primary School at Chinna Chowk.

Approximately Rs. 14 lakhs was spent on Sunday's polio drive and 298 supervisors monitored it, he said.

The DMHO and the Municipal Commissioner, S. Aleem Basha, administered drops at Zion College.

In corporation limits, 220 pulse polio immunisation centres were set up and 31,678 children covered, Mr. Basha said. Health activists would go round houses and administer drops to left-out children on Monday and Tuesday, he stated.

The Rotary Club Assistant Governor, K. Rajarathnam Isaac and its President, O. Jayamani, also took part.

KURNOOLCUDDAPAHCHITTOORNELLORE: The programme was launched here at Kajoor by the Rajya Sabha Member, Durga Ramakrishna, and the MLA, A.S. Manohar, by administering oral polio drops to children. The Revenue Divisional Officer, Venkata Subbaiah, told that 431,996 children were below 0-5 years in the district who should be administered polio drops at 2,943 immunisation centres set up at different places in the district. Rajendra Prasad, Municipal Commissioner and Municipal Health Officer, Sunitha participated.

KURNOOLCUDDAPAHCHITTOORNELLORE: The programme at Nellore aims to provide immunisation to 43,834 children. Some 3,675 booths have been set up, with deployment of 14,700 staff and 370 supervisors, in addition to supply of 5 lakh doses of vaccine. The programme was attended by the Municipal Commissioner, Ch. Umapathi and the DMHO, Badruddin.