Mangaluru: Health and family welfare minister U T Khader held a press meet at the Circuit house here on January 15.
Addressing the mediapersons U T Khader said that the World Health Organization has announced India as a Polio free country on March 27, 2014. When WHO announced India as Polio free country, many countries had criticized that India has no proper roads and facilities to reach the rural areas. The country has severe power failure problems and hence it is impossible to be a polio free country. But facing all the odds, our country has succeeded to be Polio free.
He further said that in Afgnanistan and Pakistan Polio still exists and anytime the virus may spread to our country. As a precaution we are continuing the Pulse polio drive in the state. On January 17, the first round of the Pulse polio drive will be held throughout Karnataka. Children up to 5 years will be given oral polio vaccine. It is the duty of every parent to bring their children aged up to 5 years to the booth to have them vaccinated. There are 74.25 lakh children in the state and the government has made all arrangements give them oral polio vaccine. In the state there are 32617 booths with 51732 teams, 103464 vaccination staff, 6522 supervisors, 1205 mobile units and 1736 transit teams.
In the district there are 1,68,947 children who are below 5 years. There will be 921 booths with 3228 vaccination staff, 192 supervisors, 8 mobile units and 28 transit teams.
In the state we have identified 29000 high risk areas and we have made all the arrangements to reach out to such areas through the transit teams, we will give pulse polio drops to all the children below 5 years of age. Sometimes because of superstitious beliefs parents are hesitate to being the children to the booth to have vaccinated in such situations religious heads should make their community people understand and insist them to vaccinate their children so that the child will be healthy when it grows. oral polio vaccine will not harm any child below 5 years. In case the parents have given polio drops to their children 2 days before the drive, they can again bring the child on January 17, and vaccinate the child as there is no harm in doing so.
Khader also said that the Dantha Bhagya is a successful scheme, on the inaugural day itself more than 2500 people had registered. Private hospitals have supported the Health ministry to make the scheme a successful. For a denture the private hospital will be paid Rs 500. Asha workers will also get Rs 100 per person that they identify and bring for Danta Bhagya. It is the duty of the DHO to oversee the smooth functioning of the scheme, if there is any mismanagement the DHO will be held responsible, Khader said,
When asked about 108 Ambulance workers going on strike on January 24, Khader said that let the 108 ambulance drivers go on strike, we will take appropriate action. For any reason Ambulance services will not be interrupted or stopped. If anyone goes one strike, we will take necessary measures to run the 108 ambulance service, he assured.
When asked about the delay in pension for the Endosulfan victims, Khader said out of 2500 people why were only 198 victims not given pension? Because they did not give their bank account. Every month before the 7th, the revenue department credits the amount to every endosulfan victim’s account. He also said that if any of the endosulfan victim faces problems, let them come and discuss their problem and solve it. Without giving the bank details one should not blame the health ministry, he said.
DMO Dr Rajeshwari, DHO Dr Ramakrishna and others were also present.