National Immunisation Day is being observed across the state with the launch of the Pulse Polio campaign targeting children below five years. Health officials urged parents to ensure complete vaccination, reinforcing India’s polio-free status through statewide immunisation drives, booth-based vaccination, and door-to-door follow-up activities.
National Immunisation Day was observed across the state on Sunday with the launch of the Pulse Polio campaign, reaffirming the government’s commitment to safeguarding children against poliomyelitis and sustaining India’s hard-earned polio-free status. The large-scale immunisation drive aims to administer oral polio vaccine (OPV) to every child below five years of age, ensuring no eligible child is left without protection.
The state-level programme was inaugurated at the Paschim Bhubanban Primary Health Centre by Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Debashree Debbarma, who appealed to parents and guardians to actively participate in the campaign by bringing all eligible children for vaccination.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Debbarma emphasised that immunisation continues to be one of the most effective public health interventions for protecting children from life-threatening diseases such as poliomyelitis. She stated that although India has remained polio-free for several years, sustained immunisation efforts are essential to prevent the re-emergence of the virus.
She urged parents not to leave out any child below the age of five, stressing that every dose administered contributes to strengthening community immunity and protecting future generations from the crippling disease.
The programme was attended by State Health and Family Welfare Society Member Secretary Dr Shovik Debbarma, State Immunisation Officer Dr Sreebas Debbarma, National Health Mission Joint Mission Director Dr Jubilee Debbarma, and several senior health officials. The campaign was formally launched by administering two drops of oral polio vaccine to eligible children.
In Unakoti district, the district-level Pulse Polio programme was inaugurated at the Kumarghat Panchayat Samiti Hall. Deputy Sabhadhipati of the Unakoti Zilla Parishad Santosh Dhar formally launched the campaign in the presence of Kumarghat Municipal Council Chairperson Biswajit Das, District Immunisation Officer Dr Sandeepan Bhattacharjee, Kumarghat Sub-Divisional Hospital in-charge SDMO Dr Bappaditya, Immunisation Nodal Officer Dr Lopamudra Das, and other health officials.
Health authorities have set a target of administering oral polio vaccine to 28,100 children below five years of age across the district through 281 vaccination booths established at hospitals, schools, community centres, railway stations, bus stands, and other strategic locations.
Officials informed that mop-up activities will be conducted on June 29 and 30, during which Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and health workers will visit households to vaccinate children who could not receive the vaccine on the first day of the campaign.
Speaking at the programme, Santosh Dhar appealed to parents to ensure that every child from birth to five years receives the oral polio vaccine without fail. He described immunisation as a shared social responsibility that protects both individual children and the wider community.
District Immunisation Officer Dr Sandeepan Bhattacharjee highlighted that while India continues to maintain its polio-free status, the virus remains endemic in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan, making continued vigilance essential.
He also referred to recent environmental surveillance reports that detected poliovirus in wastewater samples in Germany and a few locations in India. However, he clarified that these findings do not indicate an outbreak but underline the importance of maintaining high vaccination coverage through annual Pulse Polio campaigns.
Following the inauguration, Dr Bhattacharjee inspected several vaccination booths, including those established at railway stations, bus stands, and remote locations, to monitor the smooth implementation of the campaign.
Meanwhile, in Gomati district, the Pulse Polio campaign was inaugurated at the Tripurasundari Sub-Divisional Hospital in Udaipur. The programme was attended by Gomati Zilla Parishad Sabhadhipati Debal Debray, Udaipur Municipal Council Chairperson Shital Chandra Majumdar, District Immunisation Officer Dr Chiranjeet Noatia, Chief Medical Officer Dr Kamal Reang, social worker Sunny Saha, and senior officials of the Health Department.
Speakers reiterated the importance of ensuring that no child below five years of age is left out of the immunisation drive. Health experts explained that the oral polio vaccine strengthens immunity and plays a crucial role in preventing the transmission of wild poliovirus. They noted that despite India’s success in eliminating polio, annual Pulse Polio campaigns remain necessary due to the continued circulation of the virus in neighbouring countries.
The programme concluded with the flagging off of vaccine vehicles carrying healthcare teams to remote and hard-to-reach areas, followed by the administration of oral polio vaccine to eligible children.
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Health officials once again appealed to parents across the state to actively participate in the campaign and cooperate with frontline health workers, ASHAs, and volunteers to ensure every child below five years receives the life-saving two drops of the oral polio vaccine, strengthening India’s collective commitment to keeping the nation permanently polio-free.
