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KOHIMA — At least 1.55 lakh children below the age of five years in Nagaland are expected to receive the oral polio vaccine as part of the statewide Intensive Pulse Polio Immunisation (IPPI) campaign launched on Sunday.
During the launch programme, the Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Ritu Thurr, administered the first drops to an infant at the Urban Primary Health Centre in Seikhazou, Kohima.
Thurr said a total of 1550 booths have been set up across the state to administer polio drops to the children, and health workers and ASHA workers will also conduct home visits for those who are unable to visit the booths.
The universal immunisation programme is one of the biggest public health interventions in the world today, with the central government spending over INR 2000 crore for the programme annually, he said, adding that the polio vaccines are supplied at no cost by the Government of India.
Stating that immunisation is one of the most effective methods against vaccine preventable disease, Dr. Thurr said that India was certified polio-free in 2014, but the virus still persists in neighbouring countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. Therefore, the country is apprehensive of importing the virus and is taking precautionary measures by administering the polio vaccine until today, he said.
Dr. Leamnyie Konyak, Chief Medical Officer of Kohima, said that intensive pulse polio immunisation and National Immunisation Day were marked with the launch of Polio Day on Sunday.
Earlier, Dr. Ruokuovilie Sachü, pastor of Khedi Baptist Church, pronounced the prayer as parents and guardians brought their children to receive the vaccine.