Adityanath launches pulse polio programme in UP

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday launched the pulse polio programme in the state by administering drops to children at a healthcare facility here and said over 1.10 lakh booths have been set up for the vaccination drive.

All the newborns should be taken to booths and administered polio drops so that the state and the country remain free of the disease, he said.

"A little bit of laxity may paralyse the future of a child... Almost 3.40 crore children in the age group of 0-5 years in the state are being administered the drops. For this, more than 1.10 lakh booths have been set up," the chief minister said.

"The World Health Organisation had on March 27, 2014, declared India polio-free. Even today, three countries -- Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria -- are still polio-infected." Hence, despite India being polio-free, the danger of the disease coming from the polio-infected countries still remains. So, effective implementation of pulse polio immunisation programme is necessary, Adityanath said.

About the COVID-19 situation, the pandemic has been effectively curtailed in Uttra Pradesh due to dedicated work done by medical teams.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, serious work has been done to improve the health facilities. Two COVID vaccines have been made in the country. India has been providing anti-coronavirus vaccines to other nations as the prime minister strongly believes in 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' (world is one family)," Adityanath said.

Referring to the health scenario of the state, he said, "From Independence to 2016, there were only 12 medical colleges in the state. In the last four years, work is going on to establish 31 new medical colleges in the state. District hospitals have also been expanded." He also said that when the first COVID-19 case was reported in the state, there was no testing facilities.

"At present, everyday almost 1.75 lakh samples are tested in the state. Ventilators have been provided in every district and training has also been imparted to operate them," the chief minister said.