Tamil Nadu: A state-wide polio vaccination camp for children under the age of five will be organized this coming Sunday, June 28, as part of a massive polio eradication drive. The campaign aims to administer polio drops to approximately 57 lakh (5.7 million) children. Extensive preparations have been made across the state to ensure the success of this initiative.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister S. Joseph Vijay will inaugurate this special vaccination drive at the Adi Dravidar Government School in Palavakkam, Chennai. Following the inauguration, the administration of polio drops will commence simultaneously across the state and continue from 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
According to the Health Department, a total of 43,051 centers have been established to facilitate the campaign. These include government hospitals, primary health centers, Anganwadi centers, nutrition centers, and schools. Trained health workers will be deployed at all these centers to ensure that polio drops are administered to children in a safe and organized manner.
India has achieved polio-free status thanks to long-running national immunization campaigns aimed at eradicating the disease. Previously, children under five received polio drops twice a year; however, following consistently successful campaigns, the frequency was reduced to once a year several years ago. This achievement is considered a major success for the country’s public health sector.
In line with this, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to conduct a comprehensive campaign this year as well, to completely eliminate any possibility of polio infection. The Health Department believes that regular immunization and awareness campaigns have been instrumental in India’s success in nearly eradicating the disease.
The state government has issued special guidelines for this campaign. Health officials in all districts have been instructed to ensure that no eligible child misses out on receiving the polio drops. Mobile teams have also been mobilized to reach children in remote and rural areas.
Special booths will be set up in crowded areas, bus stands, railway stations, and other public places during the campaign to extend vaccination services to the maximum number of children. Alongside this, local-level outreach and publicity efforts are also underway to raise awareness.
The Health Department stated that thousands of health workers, Anganwadi staff, and volunteers will participate in this campaign. They have already undergone training to ensure the smooth execution of the drive. The department aims to administer polio drops to the maximum number of children in a single day.
The participation of Chief Minister S. Joseph Vijay in this program is expected to further strengthen the campaign. The state government believes that high levels of participation boost public awareness and ensure the success of vaccination drives.
Health experts have also responded positively to this campaign. They emphasize that continuous vaccination and monitoring are essential to completely eradicate diseases like polio. They have urged the public to take their children to nearby centers to ensure they receive the polio drops.
This campaign in Tamil Nadu represents not only a significant step towards health security but also showcases the state’s robust public health infrastructure. Given the preparations made by the government and the administration, it is expected that the campaign will conclude successfully, providing lakhs of children with a vital protective shield for a safe future.
