Pulse Polio drive begins, over 1L given drops

Patiala, September 18

Over one lakh children were administered polio drops on the first day of the three-day pulse polio round in the district today.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Sakshi Sawhney launched the drive from a polio booth in Leela Bhawan Market. Civil Surgeon Raju Dhir was also present on the occasion.

A team of the Health Department administered polio drops to a total of 1.02 lakh kids.

The DC said all children, aged till five, should be administered the life-saving drops.

She added that 918 polio booths were set up across the district, while 33 transient points were earmarked to administer the drops. Twenty-six mobile teams were formed to visit and administer polio drops at brick kilns, colonies of labourers, factories and slum areas.

The Civil Surgeon said they had set a target of administering polio drops to 1.86 lakh children during the drive. “By administering 1.02 lakh children on the first day itself, we have achieved most of the target. Our teams will now go door to door to administer polio drops to the remaining children,” the official said.