The first round of annual Pulse Polio immunisation drive was launched across Mandya district on Sunday with elected representatives and officials administering the oral polio vaccine (OPV) to children below the age of five.
As many as 723 OPV administering centres were established in all seven taluks with a target of administering it to 1,24,886 children till January 22. The children will be administered the vaccine for three days in rural areas and four days in urban areas in the district, K. Yalakki Gowda, Mandya ZP CEO, said. He launched the drive at Government Higher Primary School at Sugar Town in the town.
He appealed to the people to support the drive and said health workers and volunteers would visit homes in rural and urban areas to ensure no child was left out. A total of 2,892 health workers have been roped in for the drive.
M. Srinivas, Mandya MLA; Meera Shivalingaiah, district officer of the Indian Red Cross Society; District Health Officer H.P. Manche Gowda; and others were present.
Meanwhile, C.S. Puttaraju, Melkote MLA, inaugurated the drive by administering polio drops to a child at Pandavapura.
According to reports reaching here, members of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayat Raj Institutions across the district inaugurated the drive at taluk and hobli centres in the presence of officials of various departments.
