Pulse polio drive begins

Statistics: Mysore district records 91.7 per cent

The first day of the pulse polio drive in the district on Sunday recorded overall percentage of 91.7, according to the office of district health and family welfare officer.

District health officer S M Malegowda told Deccan Herald of the targeted 3.11 lakh children below five years of age 2,85,187 were administered polio drops in the drive held from morning till evening. However, rural parts of the district has recorded overall percentage of 94.2 against 86.5 in the urban part.

The officer attributed it to the tendency among the residents of the city to wait for health workers to come knock on the door to administer the drops. As a result of the total 94,960 children’s in the city, 85,000 were administered drops.

Among the taluks, Hunsur has recorded highest of 98 per cent followed by Periyapatna- 96, K R Nagar- 95, Mysore- 94, Nanjangud- 93, H D Kote- 92 and T Narsipura- 91.3.

The officer exuded confidence that the numbers are bound to increase in the next three days in the city limits and two days in the rural parts, where the volunteers will go door-to-door to administer the drops.

In the previous year, a total of 92 pc children had been covered in the first day. However, when the drive ended 102 pc of children had been covered.

Earlier, medical education and district in-charge minister S A Ramdas administered the drops to a child in Jayanagar thus launching the drive. Ace comedian of Kannada filmdom Sadhu Kokila administered the drops to a tourist child on the premises of Hotel Sandesh The Prince in Nazarbad.

Divisional railway manager, South Western Railway, Mysore Division Vinod Kumar administered the  drops to children arriving at station. He urged the parents to avail the facility provided by the Railways and get their children administered polio drops without fail. Besides special booths have been set up at important stations across the division.

Special teams comprising paramedics of railway hospital have been deputed on important trains to administer pulse polio drops to children. This campaign will continue for the next four days. Additional divisional railway manager, Rakesh Kumar Gupta, chief medical superintendent, railway hospital, Mysore, Dr Pradeep Kumar and senior divisional medical officer (Health & Family Welfare)Dr Mahendra,  were present.