National Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign was formally launched in the district on Sunday. Collector Raghavendra Singh administering the first oral polio vaccine doses to children aged below five years at Rani Durgavati Hospital (Elgin Hospital). The inauguration was conducted in the presence of Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Naveen Kothari, who joined the Collector in administering the ‘two drops of life’ to children, marking the beginning of the district-wide immunisation drive. Under this year’s campaign, Health Department has set a target of vaccinating 3,89,226 children in the 0–5 years age group across the district. To achieve this, 2,468 polio booths have been established, with the support of 4,936 vaccinators and healthcare workers deployed throughout the district. On the first day of the campaign, June 28, children were administered polio drops at designated vaccination booths.

 

Health Department teams will conduct door-to-door visits on June 29 and 30 to ensure that no eligible child misses the life-saving vaccine. Appealing to parents, Collector Raghavendra Singh urged all families with children below five years of age to ensure they receive the oral polio vaccine and actively support the nationwide initiative to keep India polio-free. Meanwhile, senior health officials carried out surprise inspections of vaccination centres to monitor the campaign’s progress. Regional Director of Health Services, Jabalpur Division, Dr Bharat Kumar Khatik, inspected the Pulse Polio campaign at the Community Health Centre, Bargi, where he also administered polio drops to children. CMHO Dr Naveen Kothari visited vaccination booths in Kanchghar, Ghamapur and Baldi Kori Dafai areas of the city to review the immunisation drive and ensure smooth implementation of the campaign across the district.