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Tamil Nadu
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Chennai
Chief Minister inaugurates polio immunisation drive
Kick-start: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi administering polio drops at his Gopalapuram residence in Chennai on Sunday.
CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi inaugurated the pulse polio immunisation campaign on Sunday.
He administered pulse polio drops to several infants at his residence in Gopalapuram.
According to a State Government release, Tamil Nadu has not seen any polio case for the fifth successive year. However, the administration of pulse polio drops was done to prevent the spread of wild polio virus from other states.
Special efforts would be taken to cover children of migrant construction workers from states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar where polio cases are still being reported, the release said.
About 40,400 immunisation booths have been set up across the State in hospitals, primary health centres, noon meal centres and schools. Transit booths functioned from railway stations and bus termini. About 70 lakh children are expected to be covered.
In Chennai, Mayor M. Subramanian launched the campaign at a Corporation health post in Royapettah. He said that violet paint solution will be applied on the nail of the left little finger of each child after vaccination. The marking helps to identify children who have been missed out in the immunisation campaign. Several voluntary organisations, including Rotary Clubs, have joined the Corporation in reaching out to all children.
The city-wide campaign aims to reach out to 4.86 lakh children. At the end of the day, 4.42 lakh children had been covered. Children who were missed out would be given the drops in the next few days.
The next round of immunisation will take place on February 2. Children who participated in the first round would again be covered in the second round.
Tiruvallur Collector G.Sundaramurthi administered polio drops to children residing in migrant worker family settlements near Tiruvallur. The workers are employed as labourers to lay fibre optic cables for a telecommunication service provider.
About 1,300 polio vaccine administration centres were set up at different parts of the district to cover around 2.81 lakh children in Tiruvallur district.
Kancheepuram Collector Santosh K.Misra and Kancheepuram MLA Sakthi Kamalammal inaugurated the campaign in the district at an immunisation booth in Selvilimedu Town Panchayat.
In Ambattur Municipality, 45,791 of the targeted 43,737 children were immunised at 70 booths. The Municipal Health Officer, T. Senthilkumar said that they covered most of the floating population by setting up booths at Ambattur O.T., Ambattur Industrial Estate, Mogappair East and West bus termini, apart from setting up booths near Korattur and Ambattur railway stations.
Several schools also participated in the campaign. At Everwin Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Kolathur, 50 boys and 50 girls, dressed as Santa Claus and angels, greeted the kids who had come for their pulse polio drops. About 4,000 young children were given the drops. They also received baby powder and a lunch box as gifts, courtesy Perambur and Kolathur Merchants and Traders Association.
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