On the 31st of January, the two Telugu states, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana started the pulse polio programme.
The drive set up in 33 districts and 13 districts of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively, would cover nearly 91 lakh children.
Kids aged between 0-5 years were given polio doses at 23,331 polio booths in Telangana.
Telangana Health Minister Eatala Rajender in Hyderabad and the Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy launched the pulse polio programme in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh respectively.
In Telangana, a total of 38,31,907 children in the 0-5 years age group are targeted to be covered during the pulse polio programme.
Nearly 50.14 lakh children would be administered the doses of poliomyelitis (Polio.)
While Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh launched the programme from Amravati, Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan launched the same from Raj Bhavan, Vijayawada.
During the launch, Mr. Harichandan said since 2011, Andhra Pradesh, did not report a single case of polio.
Mr. Harichandan said around 52.72 lakh children of less than five years of age are targeted for administration of polio drops in the State.
The Health Departments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh both made all the necessary arrangements for the programme.
In addition to organising booths, the departments also followed the guidelines of the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 prevention.
The vaccinators were given surgical masks, hand sanitisers and disposable gloves at all pulse polio booths.
The programme which started on the 31st of January, would continue till the 2nd of February in Andhra Pradesh and 3rd of February in Telangana.
On Monday and Tuesday, (the 1st and 2nd of February) the health workers would go door to door and give polio drops to the children who missed it.
Special emphasis was being laid giving polio doses to children with high risk groups such as nomads, migrants, urban slum dwellers and wage workers.
Stay tuned for further updates.
