Health Minister launches Pulse Polio campaign across Punjab

He said that during the current drive, more than 50,000 health workers, Aanganwari workers, Nursing students and volunteers will visit houses, slums, brick kilns, railway stations, bus stands and other places to vaccinate children whereas a total of 2,668 supervisors will carry out sudden checks to monitor the immunisation programme and to ensure that all children are immunised.

Punjab has not seen a case of polio since 2009.

The minister further said that apart from polio immunisation, the government is also vaccinating newborn children against Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus, Homophiles influenza B, Measles, Rubella and Rotavirus diarrhea. He said that immunization Program has helped reduce infant and child mortality drastically.

It has been seen that children who are vaccinated fall sick less often and are less likely to be malnourished.

He lauded the efforts of thousands of volunteers, frontline workers and health officials for tireless work for keeping the state polio-free.

Mr Sidhu appealed to the people to get their children vaccinated even if the child is born a few hours ago or is suffering from cough, cold, fever, diarrhoea or any other disease as the polio drops have no harmful effects on these sick children.