Pulse Polio Drive: 1.49 Lakh kids to be covered in DK

Pulse Polio Drive: 1.49 Lakh kids to be covered in DK

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Mar 07, 2019: Briefing media on  March 6, Wednesday, as part of Pulse Polio Drive, 1,49,562 children, below the age of five, will be administered Polio drops in Dakshina Kannada district on March 10, said District Health Officer Dr Ramakrishna Rao. He said the drops will also be administered to those immunised recently under routine immunisation schedule.

The DHO said Polio drops would be administered through 922 booths in the district. In addition, there will be seven mobile booths—two in Mangaluru rural, three in Mangaluru City Corporation limits, 1 each in Puttur and Sullia. He said this year only one-round of Pulse Polio Drive will be held in the country. The priority will be given for children of migrant labourers.

As many as 26 transit teams will ensure that no child is left out of the drive by administering the drops at bus stand, railway station and at airport.

He said that though India is declared Polio-free in March 2014, following the reporting of Polio cases in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria, where Polio is endemic, the country cannot afford to drop its guard and has to continue administering Polio drops.

The health workers will visit houses in rural areas on March 11 and 12 to administer Polio drops while they will visit houses in urban areas from March 11 to 13

The DHO said in spite of no Polio cases being reported in Dakshina Kannada, children below 14 years suffering from Hypotonia, fever, sore throat, fatigue, back and neck pain, arm and leg stiffness and other suspected symptoms of polio are tested for polio by collecting their stool samples.  Accordingly, in the year 2018, 27 stool samples, including 12 children from Dakshina Kannada district, were collected and sent for testing.

In 2019, till date, four stool samples, including three from DK, have been collected and sent for testing. All the samples have tested negative for Polio, Rao added.