Nagaland targets 1.43 lakh children in mega pulse polio drive amid immunisation gaps

Kohima, June 26: Nagaland will roll out a massive statewide Pulse Polio Immunisation campaign on Sunday, June 28, targeting 1,43,530 children below the age of five, as health authorities seek to bridge persistent immunisation gaps and safeguard the state’s polio-free status.

Parents and caregivers have been urged to bring all eligible children to the nearest vaccination booth between 8 am and 3 pm to receive two drops of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) under the National Immunisation Day programme.

The campaign assumes added significance as the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) shows that while Nagaland’s full immunisation coverage among children aged 12-23 months has improved from 57.9 per cent in NFHS-5 to 64.3 per cent, nearly one in three children in the state still misses complete vaccination.

Health officials said the statewide drive is aimed at closing these gaps and preventing the re-emergence of vaccine-preventable diseases, including polio.

“Every child, every drop” has been adopted as the campaign’s guiding message, with authorities stressing that continued vigilance is essential despite India being declared polio-free by the World Health Organization in 2014.

District Task Forces on Immunisation have finalised microplans for the campaign, with vaccination booths being set up in government hospitals, primary health centres, sub-centres, anganwadi centres, schools, bus stands, railway stations and places of worship across the state.

To ensure no child is left behind, health workers, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) and Anganwadi workers will conduct house-to-house visits on June 29 and 30 to vaccinate children who miss the booth-day campaign. Mobile and transit teams will also cover children of migrant families and those living in temporary settlements.

In Wokha district, authorities have established 193 vaccination booths, supported by two mobile teams and five transit points. The district aims to achieve at least 80 per cent coverage on the first day before the door-to-door follow-up exercise.

Similarly, Mokokchung district has readied 186 polio booths, while the District Task Force in Mon has reviewed logistics, cold-chain management and team deployment to ensure smooth implementation.

Officials noted that India’s last case of wild poliovirus was reported in 2011, but continued immunisation remains crucial as the virus still circulates in some parts of the world.

No prior registration is required for the campaign, and the vaccine is being administered free of cost.

To ensure the potency of vaccines, the Health and Family Welfare Department has directed power utilities to maintain uninterrupted electricity supply to health facilities from June 26 to July 2 for proper cold-chain management.

The department has also appealed to communities, schools and civil society organisations to support the campaign, with educational institutions being asked to organise awareness rallies on June 26 and 27 to mobilise parents and ensure maximum participation.

With more than 1.43 lakh children set to receive the life-saving drops on Sunday, health officials say the campaign is not just about maintaining India’s polio-free status, but also about addressing the state’s broader immunisation challenges and ensuring that every child is protected.

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