Vinay Kumar Sorake Launches Injectable Polio Vaccine Drive in District
Udupi: The Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) drive was launched in the district on Monday, April 11 at the Women and child hospital here.
Vinay Kumar Sorake district minister in-charge inaugurated the drive and administered the Polio Vaccine to children. In his message the minister said that there is a need to create awareness on polio and utmost care should be taken to administer Injectable Polio Vaccine to all kids, he stressed.
Speaking on the occasion Dr Satish Chandra WHO representative for Udupi district said that though India was certified polio-free, the battle against polio is not yet over. The virus is still active in our neighboring countries. Cases of polio still happen there. So the risk of re-introduction of the disease remains, particularly through these endemic countries. An infant will be given the vaccine injection in the right thigh during the 14th week. As the child turns 14 weeks old, it is being given the pentavalent vaccine and the third dose of the oral polio vaccine (OPV).
The injectable vaccine will be administered to the child along with the other two vaccines. Injectable polio vaccine or IPV ensures additional immunity of the child. While the OPV provides immunization against the virus in the gut (the gastrointestinal tract), the injectable vaccine would give humoural immunity (in the blood) to protect the child even if it is a carrier of the virus, he added.
Priyanka Mary Francis CEO Udupi Zilla panchayat, Dr Rohini DHO Udupi, district surgeon and Rotary Club members were present.