New Delhi

Another polio immunisation programme today

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Secretary Rakesh Mehta on Saturday urged the Capital’s citizens to get their children below five years of age immunised against polio on Sunday when another round of the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme is conducted in the city. Anti-polio drops would be administered to over 25.5 lakh children during the day, he said. A total of 8,200 booths have been established across the city for this purpose.

Speaking at the launch of the next phase of the immunisation programme at Delhi Secretariat, Mr. Mehta said the Capital would continue to strive hard to completely eliminate polio in the coming months. Pointing out that it was Delhi that had taken the lead in initiating the anti-polio campaign, he said, the Government would like to lead in elimination of this disease which not only hampers physical and mental growth of children but also makes them handicapped for the rest of their life. On Sunday, over 35,000 workers and employees of the Health Department would be deployed all over the Capital to ensure maximum reach. Besides, stalls would be set up at railway stations, inter-State bus terminals, major temples, Delhi Metro railway stations, Millennium Park, Delhi Zoo and other public places.

A week-long door-to-door survey will also be conducted with nearly 17,000 workers in 8,981 teams visiting different colonies, including slums and jhuggi clusters, to find out about ``left-over cases” and administer polio drops to those children.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu