Residents of posh colonies, schools not cooperating, say volunteers

Manav Mander

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Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 17

A five-day pulse polio drive has begun today. The drive was initiated by Civil Surgeon Dr Renu Chhatwal by administering polio drops to kids from Community Health Centre at Pakhowal. Kids under the age of five years will be administered polio vaccine drops.

Volunteers who are on duty to administer polio vaccine drops complained of non cooperation from the residents especially living in posh localities.

A volunteer wishing not to be named said sometimes they have to wait for pretty long time to convince the parents for allowing their kid to administered polio vaccine drops.

“Parents generally argue that they have already administered polio drops in routine vaccination and refuse to take drops from us,” she said.

She further added that sometimes first the servants come and then the parents come and finally the kid is called after the wastage of good 20-25 minutes. “Parents should understand that we do not have so much time as we have to cover large number of houses. When they know the pulse polio drive is on they should send their kids without wasting time,” she said.

The other problem faced by the volunteers is that some kindergarten schools do not allow these volunteers to administer polio drops.

Dr Renu Chhatwal said she was aware of the problems being faced by the volunteers.

“Department has issued them proper identity cards so that nobody questions them about their identity and it is the right of the people to ask about the ID card of the volunteers. Problems from the posh localities and kindergartens continue to pour in. I appeal to the parents and administration of the kindergarten schools to allow these volunteers to administer polio drops as they are necessary to completely eradicate polio from the country. Teachers at schools should not bother that a kid will be given drops twice because in case the kid has been given drops at his home then there will be a mark on his/her finger (the volunteers put a mark on little finger same,” said Chhatwal.

Polio drops will be administered to more than 5 lakh kids from the district and 697 booths, 365 sub booths, 118 transit teams and 88 mobile teams have been formed, said Dr Balwinder Singh, district immunisation officer.