Telangana Launches Pulse Polio Drive To Vaccinate 40.97 Lakh Children Under Five

Health Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha reviewed preparations for a statewide Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme during a meeting with senior health department officials at the Rajiv Arogyasri office in Jubilee Hills. The minister directed officials to ensure that every child under five years of age in Telangana receives two drops of the oral polio vaccine during the upcoming drive.

The vaccination campaign is set to begin with a booth-level drive on June 28. To accommodate the large urban populations in Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri, and Sangareddy districts, the minister suggested extending the campaign by an additional day, running door-to-door visits through July 1.

The statewide programme aims to vaccinate approximately 40.97 lakh children. To meet this target, the health department has supplied 52.04 lakh doses of the bOPV vaccine to districts across Telangana.

According to officials, the polio drops will be administered at 22,979 booths on June 28. This will be followed by door-to-door visits on June 29 and June 30 to cover any children who missed the initial round of immunisation.

A massive workforce has been deployed for the campaign, including 8,393 ANMs, 27,181 Asha workers, and 34,442 Anganwadi workers. Nursing students, teachers, and volunteers will also participate in administering the vaccine and managing the booths.

During the review meeting, Minister Raja Narasimha emphasised that no child should be left out of the campaign. He specifically directed officials to focus on high-risk areas and vulnerable groups. This includes the children of migrant workers, as well as families living in brick kilns, construction sites, urban slums, new colonies, and tribal areas.

The minister urged all parents to bring their children under five years old to the nearest polio booth. He noted that every eligible child must receive the vaccine, even if they have been immunised in previous drives, to help Telangana maintain its polio-free status.