Ludhiana, December 13
The Health Department here claimed that during the two days of the ongoing pulse polio drive in the district, an estimated 92 per cent of the 5.22 lakh eligible children in the age group of 0-5 years were immunised. The campaign was stipulated to end this evening, but the officials said if there were more children still to be vaccinated, the campaign could be extended for a day or so.
The campaign against polio in this district along with five adjoining districts and some other neigbouring areas was necessitated after a migrant child was detected to be afflicted with the disease here during last month.
Dr Y.C. Markan, Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation, who was supervising the campaign, went round several rural areas and adjoining towns in the district today to over see the door to door polio vaccination programme being undertaken by the health workers and volunteers of NGOs and other social and religious organisations as well as service clubs. He said nearly 1.14 lakh children were administered polio drops on Monday while the remaining children would be covered today.
Even as the health authorities claimed that every nook and corner of the district was being covered by the staff to ensure that no child was left out from being immunised and the programme was being strictly supervised by medical professionals, a large number of residents from different parts of the city complained that the health workers had not visited their localities.
However, a random survey of some of the city localities revealed that the volunteers went from house to house in many areas asking about the children under the age of five years so that polio drops could be given to them.
Health officials, responding to the complaints from left out areas in the city and elsewhere in the district, said a comprehensive area-wise review of the immunisation drive would be undertaken after the data by sector supervisors was submitted and duly processed.
"The department is committed to provide cent per cent coverage against polio to the eligible children and necessary follow up steps will be taken," they maintained.
