IE : Pulse Polio : Of Targeted 12 lakh, 8 lakh Children covered : Sept 10, 2007
Pulse Polio : Of Targeted 12 lakh, 8 lakh Children covered
MUMBAI, SEPTEMBER 9
AS many as 8,99,024 children were administered pulse polio drops in the
Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme arranged by the Brihanmumbai Municipal
Corporation (BMC) on Sunday.
‘Izargeting over 12 lakh kids, the BMC had set up 6,588 polio booths in all
the wards between Colaba and Mulund. This is the eighth consecutive month of
the immunisation programme synchronising with the Uttar Pradesh polio
rounds.
Dr Usha Ubale, the incharge of Mumbai’s immunisation drive said: “The
response this month was 69.41 per cent, which is just about okay for the
first day. Usually, we aim for at least 70 per cent response.” Incidentally,
the pulse polio drive saw only 61 per cent and 64 per cent response in July
and August but Ubale blames the bad response on the rain. “Last month, when
the drive kicked off, it was raining badly and therefore lesser number of
people turned up;” she said. The best response was from Parel and Bhandup
with 80 per cent coverage while in most other wards the usual coverage is
up to 65 to 75 per cent. Volunteers were deployed inside trains, railway
stations, bus stands, gardens and amusements parks where children are mostly
found.
“Considering the influx of people from other cities during Ganesh Chaturthi,
we have also deployed extra transit teams,” Ubale said. The team focused on
tourist buses to Konkan, Goa and other nearby cities and administered
vaccination to the visitors’ children before they left the city precincts.
Ubale however admitted that in spite of increased coverage, the response is
not great.
“We are always looking for more awareness, more coverage,” she said.
The immunization drive which saw only 61 and 64 pc response in July and
August, got
a good 69.41 pc response on Sunday
Publicationb : IE; Section : Maharastra; Pg: 3; Date : 10/9/07