Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala will conduct the nationwide Pulse Polio vaccination drive on Sunday, June 28, to protect children against polio. Health Minister K. Muralidharan said all preparations have been completed and urged parents to ensure that every child below the age of five receives the oral polio vaccine.
The state-level inauguration will take place at the Thycaud Mother and Child Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram at 8 am.
Nearly 19.8 Lakh Children to Get Polio Vaccine
The Health Department aims to vaccinate 19,80,224 children below five years of age across Kerala.
To achieve this, the government has set up 22,288 vaccination booths and trained 46,663 volunteers to administer the vaccine.
The booths will operate at government hospitals, health centres, urban health centres, Anganwadis, private hospitals, schools, libraries and other public places.
Special Booths Across Kerala
Apart from regular vaccination booths, the Health Department has arranged 539 transit booths, 283 mobile booths, and nine special booths at festivals and fairs.
Transit booths will function at railway stations, bus stands and boat jetties. Mobile teams will visit remote areas, migrant worker settlements, festival venues and other public locations to vaccinate children.
Door-to-Door Vaccination After Pulse Polio Day
Health workers will visit the homes of children who miss the vaccination on June 28. The door-to-door campaign will take place on June 29 and June 30.
ASHA workers, Anganwadi staff and Kudumbashree volunteers will assist health officials during the campaign.
Minister Urges Parents to Participate
Health Minister K. Muralidharan appealed to parents and guardians to bring every child below five years to the nearest vaccination booth.
The Pulse Polio campaign is being organised by the Health Department with support from the National Health Mission, Local Self Government Department, Women and Child Development Department, General Education Department, Kudumbashree Mission, Literacy Mission and voluntary organisations, including Rotary International.