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Dimapur, Jan. 19 (EMN): The Intensified Pulse Polio Immunisation (IPPI) programme for Nagaland has begun with district agencies and health institutions starting work on immunising children. District health agencies and security forces such as the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Assam Rifles issued press releases and updates on Saturday informing about their immunisation activities.
Dimapur
Dimapur district conducted the Intensive Pulse Polio Immunisation 2020 programme on January 19 in the district. Dimapur's Additional Deputy Commissioner V Lovitoly Sema inaugurated the Polio Sunday event by administering the first two drops of polio, updates stated.
Dr. T Pangjung Sangtam, chief medical officer of Dimapur delivered the keynote address. He informed that although in India the last case of polio was recorded in 2011 and the WHO had declared the country polio-free since 2014, the government of India continues to launch polio programmes to maintain the polio free status from the country.
India continues to maintain a strict polio surveillance system as two of its neighbouring countries are still polio-endemic countries. He said that to vaccinate 43,355 children of the age group 0-5 years in Dimapur district, 519 booths will be set up across the district with 2076 teams of vaccinators and 102 supervisors, updates stated.
Mon
Along with the rest of Nagaland, IPPI programme was conducted in Mon at the district hospital with the theme “let the victory over polio continue with two drops of life,” updates stated. The programme targeted immunisation of 24,461 children in the age group of 0-5 years.
In making sure that the campaign does not miss out any children, 298 regular booths were set up covering 136 villages in Mon district, updates stated. 70 Supervisors were assigned for the programme. The youths of Konyak Baptist Church Mon, troopers from the Assam Rifles and GREF personnel were also part of the team of volunteers to administer polio drops, updates stated.
Deputy Commissioner Thavaseelan K explained that although the disease had been eradicated from the country, it still remains a problem in some parts of the world. It is necessary to take preventive measures by accepting the vaccine to do away with the disease, the updates stated. The deputy commissioner requested parents to avail the facility which the government is providing for free.
Tuensang
In Tuensang, the district’s Deputy Commissioner Kumar Kamnikat administered the first two drops of the vaccine to launch the programme at tower clock junction in the presence of health officials and workers, updates stated.
A health official, Dr. Thungchanpani Patton, reported that 235 polio booth centres were set up across the district to cover 12,013 targeted children in the age group of 0 to 5 years, updates stated. The team members will continue the activity for two more days from house to house to immunise children who missed out at the polio booth centres, it was informed.
Longleng
The district health society of Longleng conducted the immunisation programme. In a short programme that was organised at the NST junction, Dr. Imnameren Phom said even though India is declared a polio free country ‘we cannot remain complacent till every corner of the world is declared free of polio which therefore is very important to give polio vaccines to the children.’ He said polio is a virus which is infectious and can lead to paralysis, breathing problems or even death.
Polio is transmitted through contaminated water or food, or contact with an infected person. He said once the virus that causes polio infects a person, there is no treatment that will cure it because polio is a contagious disease which can only be prevented through vaccination.
Phom said no children who are below the age of five years should be left without immunisation.
Also, the deputy commissioner of Longleng, M Shayung Phom, urged parents to ensure that their children are given polio and also to educate others about immunising their children, updates stated. He expressed gratitude and appreciation to the medical and health department for working toward vaccinating children.
Prior to the launch of the immunisation campaign, workshops and events to distribute logistics and vaccines were conducted in the chief medical officer’s conference hall on January 17 besides a meeting of the district task force which was conducted on the 18th, updates stated.
The district is all geared up to administer Polio drops to over 3417 eligible children in four blocks, with 61 Polio Booths, 13 Supervisors, 187 manpower, 2 transit point and 8 mobile team. The dropouts and left outs will be covered during the house to house campaign. The medical department also expresses their gratitude to the Assam Rifles for extending their help and service during the Polio campaign.
Phek
Along with the rest of the state, Phek also launched the immunisation campaign on January 19 by the organisers.
Updates informed that a short inaugural program was conducted in the district hospital of Phek during which Dr. Kolhitso Khalo, district immunisation officer of Phek appealed to the health workers to extent full support to the polio campaign.
With an aim to immunize all children of the age group 0-5 years of age with two drops of the polio vaccine, Phek has set up 195 polio booths across the district targeting a total of 10,319 children, updates stated.
In order to reach out to every child, health workers will be visiting houses to immunise children who could not turn up during the booth campaign, the updates stated.
Zunheboto
The IPPI for Zunheboto district was launched with a programme that was conducted in the chief medical office on January 19 in Zunheboto, updates stated.
Peter Lichamo, deputy commissioner of Zunheboto inaugurated the programme. He administered the first polio drops of the district’s programme, updates stated.
In his address, Lichamo emphasised on the importance of vaccination. He said that to live healthy people must start with themselves. He motivated the parents and health workers to be an ambassador to create awareness about the different activities that are being carried out by the medical and health department. He urged the health workers to work with dedication and sincerity, mentioning that there is an obstacle in every corner but that it should not be an excuse.
CRPF
The 173rd battalion of the CRPF also joined the immunisation program. Updates informed that the unit organised a pulse polio Immunisation programme at the airfield and at Chumoukedima village on January 19 in Dimapur. Syamchand De, DIGP (Ops) of the CRPF in Kohima along with Vishnu Gautam, commandant of the 173rd Bn CRPF and the unit medical team attended the programme, updates stated. Around 120 children were given polio dose, organisers informed.
Assam Rifles
The Assam Rifles also participated in the immunisation campaign. Updates from the organisers informed that the troopers of the security force stationed in various districts of the states conducted the campaign to immunise children.