Jammu, December 21: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo kick-started the Pylse Polio Campaign across Jammu and Kashmir from Jammu by inaugurating National Immunization Day (Polio Day) at Government Hospital Gandhinagar here today.
The campaign was inaugurated by Health Minister while personally administering polio drops to toddlers and children, symbolically marking the beginning of campaign across Jammu and Kashmir aimed at ensuring zero polio cases.
Addressing the gathering, Minister Sakeena emphasized on the critical role of routine immunization and community participation in maintaining J&K’s polio-free status. She urged parents and guardians to actively cooperate with healthcare workers and ensure that every child receives the life-saving polio vaccine during the campaign. “To ensure administration of Polio drops to child under this campaign is very important responsibility for both parents and not just mother”, the Minister stated.
The Minister highlighted that the Health department is working efficiently under this campaign and achieved polio free status for J&K. She lauded the efforts of frontline health workers, ASHAs, Anganwadi workers, volunteers, and district health teams for their tireless dedication in reaching every household, including those in far-flung and vulnerable areas.
“Going to far-flung areas and giving these two drops to children there was very challenging, but our frontline staff delivered on that efficiently”, she said.
The Minister further highlighted that the department has established around 11000 booths across J&K, involving 40000 healthcare workers and around 20 lakh children will be administered Polio drops during the campaign.
She added that special immunization booths, mobile teams, and house-to-house visits have been put in place across all districts to cover every eligible child, besides robust monitoring mechanisms have also been established to ensure effective implementation of the campaign.
Speaking on the occasion, MLA Vikram Randhawa said that National Immunization Day (Polio) Campaign forms a key component of the government’s public health strategy to protect future generations and strengthen disease prevention measures across Jammu and Kashmir. He called upon all the parents, public and responsible citizens to contribute towards this campaign.
The MLA also lauded the continuous efforts of Health Minister, Sakeena Itoo for bringing improvements in healthcare infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir.
In his address, Secretary Health, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed said that this day is very important for maintaining the status of Polio free India, which our country achieved in the year 2014. He called upon the parents and public to actively participate in this campaign. He further said that the department has established around 11,000 booths for the administration of Polio drops to the children across Jammu and Kashmir.
CEO State Health Agency, Ananth Dwivedi; Mission Director ICDS, Sajad Hussain Ganai; Commissioner Food and Drug Administration, Smita Sethi; Director Family Welfare and Immunization, Dr. Poonam Sethi; Director Health Services Jammu, Dr. Abdul Hamid Zargar; doctors, paramedical staff, healthcare professionals and large number of locals and children were also present on the occasion.
