Pulse polio drive second phase underway, over 3 lakh children to be immunised

Pic Courtesy: UNICEF (Twitter)

The second phase of Pulse Polio immunisation camp is currently underway in several parts of the country. Parents of children below five years can avail the vaccine in these camps on Sunday, March 11.

Taking to Twitter, the Ministry of Health shared:

सजग बनें, पोलियो को लौटने का मौका न दें| हर बच्चा हर बार, दो बूँद जिंदगी की| 11 मार्च 2018, पल्स पोलियो राष्ट्रीय टीकाकरण दिवस| #PulsePolio #PolioMuktBharat #SwasthaBharat #StayPolioFree @JPNadda @AshwiniKChoubey @AnupriyaSPatel pic.twitter.com/isunjQHQnS — Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2018

पोलियो की सफलता, पल्स पोलियो राउंड की गुणवत्ता और कवरेज में सुधार के ठोस प्रयासों द्वारा प्राप्त हुई है | आइये हम सब इस जीत को जारी रखने का प्रण करें| #PulsePolio #PolioMuktBharat #SwasthaBharat #NationalImmunizationDay #StayPolioFree @JPNadda @AshwiniKChoubey @AnupriyaSPatel pic.twitter.com/gjB1wJD5hX — Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) March 11, 2018

“Various initiatives & schemes launched in recent decades have resulted in substantially bringing down the infant & maternal mortality rates rolled out from time to time & we have also been able to get rid of the dreaded diseases like polio,” wrote Health Minister J P Nadda on Twitter.

Various initiatives & schemes launched in recent decades have resulted in substantially bringing down the infant & maternal mortality rates rolled out from time to time & we have also been able to get rid of the dreaded diseases like polio. — Jagat Prakash Nadda (@JPNadda) March 10, 2018

In Chennai, over 1,600 camps have been set up across the city to administer polio drops to children aged five. In Andhra Pradesh alone, over three lakh children are expected to be vaccinated.

The Polio virus destroys motor neurons in the central nervous system causing paralysis or even death.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative led by the World Health Organisation has resulted in 99 per cent fewer cases in the past 30 years.