Pulse Polio Immunisation launched, 93 pc covered

Chennai

At 101 per cent, Chengalpattu district, too, crossed the 100 mark, while it was 99 per cent at Coimbatore and 98 per cent at Madurai and Ariyalur. Chennai, however, recorded a coverage of only 88 per cent, the second lowest after Karur (83 per cent), show the data released by the Health and Family Welfare Department.

In absolute numbers, however, Chennai immunised more than double the number of children covered by Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu combined.

The department had targeted to cover 70,26,950 children below the age of 5 in the drive throughout the State. Of these, 65,52,349 children (93 per cent) were covered. Of the 45 districts (including the newly formed ones, 40 managed to cover more than 90 per cent of the targeted population. Besides Karur and Chennai, the others to fall below that are Kallakurichi, Cheyyar and Dharmapuri (89 per cent).

The pulse polio vaccination drive had to be postponed from the initial schedule of January 17 due to the launch of vaccination against COVID-19 pandemic.

Across the State, 43,051 booths were set up at government hospitals, primary health centres, Integrated Child Development Services centres, schools, railway stations, airport and other public places. About two lakh healthcare workers were involved in the drive during the day.

Launching the immunisation drive at his native, Pudukkottai, Health Minister C Vijaya Baskar said Tamil Nadu remained polio-free for the past 17 years (it is 7 years in the case of India as a whole). He also stressed on the importance of taking preventive measures to ensure that there were no cases in the future.