Image Source : PIB Pulse Polio 2021: President Kovind launches countrywide programme. All you have to find out about Polio Ravivar
President Ram Nath Kovind on Saturday launched the Pulse Polio Programme for 2021 by administering polio drops to kids lower than 5 years outdated on the Rashtrapati Bhawan, within the presence of Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, and Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. The President and First Lady Savita Kovind administered polio drops to kids on the eve of the Polio National Immunization Day, which is noticed on the thirty first January 2021 (Sunday), additionally popularly often known as Polio Ravivar.
HIGHLIGHTS
Around 17 crore kids of lower than 5 years of age can be given polio drops as a part of the drive of Government of India to maintain polio free standing of the nation.
The countrywide drive can be supported by about 24 lakh volunteers, 1.5 lakh supervisors and plenty of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), WHO, UNICEF, Rotary and so forth.
Healthcare staff can be visiting as many as 2 crore households to make sure that no youngster is left with out the safety of the polio vaccine.
Speaking on the launch occasion, Dr. Harsh Vardhan expressed deep gratitude in direction of the President and the First Lady for his or her variety presence, significantly on the time of COVID pandemic to spotlight India’s dedication to guard all the youngsters of India from all vaccine-preventable ailments. He reminisced his private journey of main the combat towards Polio because the Health Minister, Delhi Government when India accounted for 60% of all Polio instances globally.
“The strategy of Pulse Polio Immunization Programme was conceived in December 1993 and it was rolled out from 2nd October, 1994 when the first child was immunized against Polio as part of this programme. Almost 12 lakh children were immunized in a single day at around 4000 centres. In 1995 seeing the visible impact of the Pulse Polio Programme in Delhi, this was replicated at the national level. A year later, several countries of South East Asia region of WHO emulated the strategy and implemented similar programs. Even in Africa, Mr. Nelson Mandela launched ‘Kick Polio out of Africa’ campaign”, the Union Health Minister recollected.
READ MORE: National Polio immunisation programme rescheduled to January 31
Cherishing the success of this system, Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated, “Before the start of the program, India had 60% caseload of Polio worldwide. With the last case of Polio reported in Howrah on 13th January, 2011, the country has been free of Polio for a decade now.”
Vardhan applauded India’s accomplishments together with the precautionary measures that ought to therefore be taken stated, “‘Polio-free certification’ of the entire South-East Asia Region of WHO including India on the 27th of March 2014 was a huge accomplishment in the history of India and Global Public Health. However, we need to remain vigilant and maintain the population immunity against polio with sensitive surveillance till global polio eradication happens. We all know that poliovirus is still circulating in other parts of the world including our neighbouring countries which may re-infect us. Pakistan and Afghanistan of the Eastern Mediterranean Region of WHO are still reporting Polio cases.”
He identified that underneath the management of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Universal Immunization Programme is focusing to guard kids from extra ailments than ever earlier than and has launched a number of new vaccines like Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine, and Measles-Rubella vaccine within the latest previous. “To provide additional protection to our children, Government of India has also introduced the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine into its routine immunization program,” he added.
Detailing on the mitigation measures that the federal government has taken, he famous the efforts in strengthening routine immunization: “While we’re making efforts to guard our youngsters from an increasing number of ailments, it will be important that every one vaccines underneath the programme attain each final youngster of our nation. The classes learnt from polio programme are being applied to strengthen routine immunization by finishing up Mission Indradhanush, Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Extended Gram Swaraj Abhiyan and Intensified Mission Indradhanush I and II– a drive towards 90% full immunization protection of India by yr 2018 and to maintain it thereafter,” he stated.
In order to shut gaps which may have emerged in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, one other section of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 3.0) has been deliberate in 250 excessive threat districts of the nation throughout February and March 2021. In addition to this, steerage for conduction of Sub-National Immunization days for polio and delicate surveillance of vaccine preventable ailments throughout pandemic has additionally been issued to States,” he added.
The Health Minister additionally appreciated the efforts of State Governments and the supporting organizations like WHO, UNICEF and Rotary International and so forth., for strengthening the efforts of the Government not just for polio programme but additionally for different initiatives in immunization. He additionally applauded the efforts of the hundreds of volunteers, frontline staff, and well being officers throughout the states for his or her tireless efforts in holding the nation polio-free. “My deepest gratitude to all those mothers who have brought and will bring their children to the Polio Booths for vaccination. I also thank all those country men and women who have contributed in any way to the success of this programme”, Dr Harsh Vardhan said.
READ MORE: Big B hails COVID-19 vaccination drive, hopes to eradicate coronavirus like polio from India
Latest India News
