President Kovind launched Pulse Polio Programme 2021
For Polio National Immunization Day, observed on 31 January also popularly known as “polio Ravivar”, President Ram Nath Kovind launched the pulse polio program drive for 2021. In the presence of Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhana and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwini Kumar Choubey, the President launched the first drive of the program by administering polio drops to children at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 30 January 2021. For sustaining the polio-free status in India, the programme aims to give polio drops to around 12 crore children of less than five years.
The Health Minister, at the launch event, expressed gratitude to President Kovind and First Lady. Appreciating the efforts of State Governments and international organizations, he conveyed his obligation towards the government efforts for polio programmes as well as for other immunization drives. Dr. Harsh Vardhan shared his experience as Delhi Health Minister when around 60% of global polio cases were from India.
Adding to it, Dr. Vardhan also informed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is planning to broaden the focus of the Universal Immunization Programme. The program now aims to protect more children by introducing new vaccines such as the Measles-Rubella vaccine, Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine, and Rotavirus vaccine. Further, the government has introduced the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine in its Pulse Polio program.
Union Health Minister informed that to bridge the gap arisen due to Covid-19, another phase of Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI 3.0) would be conducted in 250 high-risk districts of India in February and March 2021. The guidelines for conducting Sub-National Immunization days for polio and other vaccine-preventable diseases have been issued to the State.
