The goal of Rajasthan’s National Pulse Polio Campaign is to vaccinate one crore children under five in all 50 districts. This initiative is crucial given the state’s large number of visitors and its border with Pakistan, where polio infections are still being recorded.
The campaign began on Sunday, with doses provided at over 61,500 booths manned by more than 77,500 teams. To make sure all kids get their shots, door-to-door visits will be done over the next two days.
A senior health department official stated, “Last case of polio was reported in the state in 2009 and almost 15 years have passed since we have not reported any polio case. But, we have to be alert as ours is a state with high volume of tourists and neighbouring country Pakistan reporting four cases of polio and Afghanistan too reporting four cases. We have to continue our polio vaccination campaign in the state to ensure that children are immunized against the polio virus.”
There are certain locations where medical professionals find challenges, but the health department is working with religious leaders to convince families to bring their children for polio vaccinations.
