DIBRUGARH, Dec 16 - In an effort to check the polio virus, the district administration today launched the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) at Dr John Berry White Hall of the office of the Additional Chief Medical & Health Officer (FW) here. Deputy Commissioner MS Manivannan inaugurated the launching of the IPV during a programme.
The Deputy Commissioner expressed the hope that the vaccination would go a long way in protecting children from the polio virus. �The vaccine will be administered in addition to the oral polio drops during routine immunisation and there will be no separate camp for this vaccine,� he said.
Although India was declared polio-free in March, 2014, the Deputy Commissioner said that the polio virus threat was not yet over. �Since the virus is still prevalent in nearby countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, the risk of re-emergence of the disease looms large over the country,� he said.
The Deputy Commissioner called upon all the health workers of the district to create a massive awareness among the masses on the prevention of the polio disease through the IPV programme. He said that parents must come forward to take advantage of the IPV.
The function was presided over by Dr Pawan Swarnakar, the in-charge Joint Director of Health Services & Family Welfare. The District Coordinator of the World Health Organization, Dr Bhabajyoti Boruah and District Immunisation Officer Dr Sunita Gogoi spoke at length on the subject. The district administration is planning to administer IPV to at least 1,585 children in the current month.
North Lakhimpur Correspondent adds: The health department in Lakhimpur district has introduced the State Government�s inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), a vaccine in injectable form, from today with the objective of providing immunity against the polio virus and reducing the risk of vaccine-associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP).
The vaccine was introduced in the district today and the vaccination drive will continue alongside the ongoing routine immunisation programme of oral polio vaccine (OPV). As per the instruction of the State Health Department, one dose of IPV will be administered intramuscularly in the anterolateral aspect of right mid-thigh using an AD syringe to fourteen-week-old babies on the same day when he or she will be administered the third dose of OPV.
It is to be noted that poliomyelites, widely known as polio, is one of the most contagious and fatal diseases. It not only paralyses the human resource infecting during the childhood but also affects the national economy and the social life. India was declared a polio-free country on March 27, 2014, but the disease still persists in neighbouring countries like Pakistan.
In this case, there is a fear of re-emergence of polio in India in the coming days till the time even one case of polio exists in the world. Therefore, the introduction of IPV is taken up nationwide which strengthens the immune system and provide protection by preparing children�s bodies to fight against the polio virus.
This highly expensive vaccine is provided free of cost to the beneficiaries by the State Health Department which will be available in all the PHCs and the State hospitals. Dr Gunin Kumar Gogoi, the District Immunisation Officer and Dr Jogananda Das, the Additional Chief Medical Officer appealed to the people of Lakhimpur to extend their support to make the immunisation programme successful.
