- Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel inaugurates the State-wide Pulse Polio Campaign in Gandhinagar, reaffirming Gujarat’s commitment to a polio-free future
- More than 83.49 lakh children aged below five years to receive life-saving oral polio vaccine through nearly 33,000 booths and an extensive door-to-door outreach
- Over 65,000 health teams and 6,599 supervisors mobilised across the State to ensure every eligible child is covered under the ‘Bal Lakwa Nabuudi Abhiyan’.
NE HEALTH BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, JUNE 28
Reinforcing Gujarat’s commitment to safeguarding every child from poliomyelitis, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Sunday launched the Statewide Pulse Polio Campaign from Gandhinagar by administering oral polio vaccine drops to children under the ‘Bal Lakwa Nabuudi Abhiyan’ (Child Polio Eradication Campaign).
The ambitious immunisation drive aims to protect more than 83.49 lakh children in the 0–5 years age group across Gujarat through an extensive network of vaccination booths and door-to-door outreach.
Launching the campaign in the presence of Minister of State for Health Praful Pansheriya, the Chief Minister administered the first polio drops symbolically, marking the beginning of the State-wide initiative.
As part of the campaign, 32,997 Pulse Polio booths have been established across Gujarat. Under the supervision of 6,599 health supervisors, a total of 65,994 health teams have been deployed to administer oral polio vaccine to every eligible child.
The Health Department has designated June 28 as ‘Polio Sunday’, during which vaccination will be carried out at booths across the State.
To ensure that no child is left behind, health workers will conduct an intensive house-to-house vaccination drive on June 29 and 30, visiting homes to administer polio drops to children below five years of age who may have missed the booth-based campaign.
The initiative forms a key component of Gujarat’s sustained efforts to maintain its polio-free status through universal immunisation and community participation.
Among those present at the launch were Gandhinagar Mayor Meera Patel, MLA Rita Patel, City BJP President Ashish Dave, Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajiv Topno, Health Commissioner Dr. Ratankawar Gadhvi, senior health officials and parents of participating children.
The State Government has appealed to parents and guardians to ensure that every child below the age of five receives the oral polio vaccine, irrespective of previous vaccination status, thereby strengthening the collective fight against the crippling disease.
