NEW DELHI: The National Polio Immunisation programme in India began on Saturday, 30 January 2021. The programme was launched today by President Ram Nath Kovind by administering polio drops to a few kids at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
A tweet was sent out by the official Twitter account of the President announcing the commencement of the polio immunisation programme.
The National Immunisation Day, commonly known as Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme, was earlier scheduled from 17 January but was rescheduled in view of the coronavirus vaccination drive across the country.
"With the countrywide Covid-19 vaccination drive scheduled to be rolled out on 16 January, the MoHFW in consultation with the office of President of India has rescheduled the Polio vaccination day to 31 January 2021," the Centre had informed.
The three-day Polio vaccination drive will begin on January 31 and go on till February 2. Polio drops are administered to children in the age group of 0 to 5 years. The vaccination drive is conducted twice a year, usually in the first six months. Apart from the annual drives, routine vaccines are given once at the time of birth, followed by administering at the ages of 6 weeks, 10 weeks and 14 weeks. If required, the polio vaccine is also provided till the age of 5 years.
The pulse polio programme always begins on a Sunday, which is known as Polio Ravivar. This Sunday is termed as the National Immunisation Day.
This year, the drive will be conducted with mandatory social distancing, and other Covid-19 protocols and precautions which include mandatory face masks and frequent washing of hands. Citizens above the age of 65 years have been advised not to accompany children to the immunisation camps.
There are reports doing the rounds that the coronavirus vaccination drive maybe be put on hold for the three days during which the polio vaccination drive will be conducted.
The polio immunisation drive in India began in 1978. The last reported cases of wild polio in India were in West Bengal and Gujarat on 13 January 2011.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared India polio free on 27 March 2014.