Senapati: The District Family Welfare in collaboration with District Health Society launched a programme on Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization at Senapati Headquarter Bazar under the theme “Let the victory over Polio continue with two drops of life” on Sunday.
Speaking on the National Immunization Day, Th Kirankumar, Deputy Commissioner and Chairman, District Health Society, Senapati stated that it should be made compulsory for every child till the attainment of 5 years of age to take polio vaccine after every six months. He also stated that the immunization of polio vaccine is one of the success stories all across the country. He said the pictorial representation for polio vaccine advertisement was scary back in those days with photographs of paralysed figures among others, but over the past 25-30 years, it looks better due to effective effort of health workers. He, therefore, appealed everyone to take utmost care of polio disease.
Dr M. Pfokreho, Chief Medical Officer and Director, District Health Society, Senapati in his presidential speech stated that polio should be taken very seriously like the COVID- 19 due to high risk of contracting by wearing mask, washing hands regularly and maintaining social distancing. He said that if polio vaccine is taken properly, there is safety protection of 99.9 per cent from contracting the disease.
He, therefore, appealed parents and health workers to immunize polio vaccine to children below 5 years of age in time.
Dr M Sokha-a, Medical Superintendent, District Immunization Officer, Senapati in her keynote address stated that all children below 5 years of age would be receiving two drops of polio vaccine all over the country on this day. She also stated that India has been certified a Polio Free country in the year 2014 but polio vaccine is still given to the children below 5 years of age.
She said that three countries namely Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria have not been certified as Polio free country. For the last 1-2 years, Nigeria has been waiting for the certificate as no case has been reported in the country so far but cases have been reported in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As per the latest report, Pakistan has 47 reported cases on January 21, 2021 and Afghanistan has 15 reported cases on January 20, 2021, she added.
She further stated that children all over the countries are at risk of contracting the disease if a single child is infected with poliovirus. Highlighting today’s programme, she said that 40003 children would be taking 2 drops of polio vaccine at 391 different booths in Senapati district. The vaccine given for immunization are bOPV and IPV starting as 0, I, II, III, booster with bOPVand I& II dose with IPV (attenuated poliovirus).
Th Kirankumar, IAS, DC, Senapati, Dr M Pfokreho, CMO, Senapati and Dr . Sokha-a, MS, DIO, Senapati gave two drops of polio vaccine to children below 5 years of age. The programme was attended by DLO’s, Medical officials, Health Workers from ASHA and others.
