Shimla, March 4 (Punjab khabarnama): Health and Family Welfare Minister Dhani Ram Shandil here today launched a polio vaccination drive on the occasion of Polio Day by administering polio drops to children.During the occasion, he lauded the efforts of medical staff across the country for their effort in making India Polio free and said that 5,90,600 children would be administered polio drops in Himachal Pradesh today at 5,870 centres run by a total of 10,963 teams.
He said that India was certified as a polio free country in 2014, but due to the presence of polio in our neighbouring countries and the possibility of its spread, it was important that the polio drops were administered to every child at regular intervals.
Shandil said that polio vaccination centres had been established across the state keeping in mind that every child must get polio drops near their residence.The polio drops would be administered even at bus stands, district barriers, transit routes for travellers and other important places of public gathering, said the Health Minister, adding that the government would also begin door-to-door campaigns to administer polio drops to those children who are left out of the vaccination drive.
The minister said the polio vaccination drive was being carried out across the state, except for Lahaul & Spiti and Kinnaur districts and Pangi of Chamba district due to extreme cold and forecast of snowfall at these places. “The polio drops would be administered on April 7, 2024 in these remaining areas” he added.
