Over 54 Lakh Children Receive Polio Drops in Andhra Pulse Polio Drive

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh on Sunday successfully conducted its statewide Pulse Polio immunisation programme, administering oral polio vaccine drops to more than 54 lakh children below the age of five.

The drive was carried out in accordance with directions from the Union government to ensure universal immunisation coverage among young children and to safeguard India’s polio-free status.

According to an official release, polio drops were administered at nearly 39,000 vaccination booths set up across the State.

Nearly 99 Lakh Doses Supplied; District-Level Monitoring in Place

Commissioner of Medical, Health and Family Welfare G. Veerapandian said that around 99 lakh doses of oral polio vaccine were supplied by the Centre and distributed to all districts ahead of the campaign.

To ensure smooth execution, nodal officers were appointed in every district, overseeing logistics, staffing and vaccination coverage.

Door-to-Door Teams to Cover Missed Children

For children who could not be vaccinated on Sunday, the Health Department has deployed over 76,000 teams to conduct door-to-door immunisation on December 22 and 23.

In addition, mobile and transit teams were stationed at high-footfall locations including bus stands, railway stations, airports, hospitals, fairs and marketplaces to prevent any child from being missed.

Sustaining India’s Polio-Free Status

India was officially declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in March 2014, but continued vaccination remains critical due to the risk of virus transmission from other countries.

Veerapandian noted that the last reported polio case in Andhra Pradesh occurred in July 2008, in the then undivided East Godavari district.

Under routine immunisation, children receive five doses of oral polio vaccine, with an additional dose administered on Pulse Polio Day to strengthen immunity.

Frontline Health Workers at the Core of the Drive

Vaccination at the booth level was carried out by trained teams comprising Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and staff nurses, reflecting the critical role of grassroots healthcare workers in public health initiatives.

Health officials said the extensive planning and multi-layered execution underline the State’s continued commitment to child health and disease prevention.