Punjab Government on Sunday launched three-day sub-national immunization day (SNID) drive, especially for the migratory population, with a target of administering polio drops to around 10 lakh children in the age group of upto five years across the State.
The state Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu formally launched the drive by administering drops of oral polio vaccine (OPV) to children below five years at a state-level function in Balongi (Mohali).
“As many as 8000 teams have been deputed into service across the State, which will conduct house-to-house visits during the drive whereas a total of 800 supervisors will carry out sudden checks to monitor the immunization program and to ensure that all children are immunized,” said Sidhu.
Sidhu appealed to the people to get their children vaccinated even if the child is born a few hours ago or is suffering from cough, cold, fever, diarrhea or any other disease as the polio drops have no harmful effects in these sick children.
“The country is already polio-free, however, the vaccination is must to sustain polio eradication from the country,” he said adding that on March 27, 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared India a polio free country.
Pointing out that the government was making all efforts to protect children from diseases, he said that the vaccines under the program must reach the last child of the state.
