4.5 lakh city kids get Polio drops in Round II

CHENNAI: The second round of the Intensive Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) programme is believed to have reached almost 4.5 lakh children in the city on Sunday. In order to reach children all across the State, as many as 2 lakh government employees and health workers were roped in. Though an official tally has not been released as yet, the estimates say that as many as 72 lakh children received their second round of immunization.Considering that just about 70 lakh children were administered the immunization drops on February 19, this increased number indicates that most of the children received their follow-up dosage and that more children were covered.The drops were administered at all government hospitals, Primary Health Centres, block level dispensaries and even in places like bus stands, railway stations and markets.Thanks to increased accessibility and better awareness, a large queue of parents and children turned up for the polio immunization shots.Close to 40,000 booths were set up in the State. Of these, 900 were mobile units meant to reach rural areas.In Chennai alone, the Corporation had organised as many as 1,126 booths and about 4,500 workers were made to toil through Sunday to reach the 4.5 lakh kids who turned up for their shots.The Corporation handled the job commendably well as they had to take care of the IPPI programme in the newly integrated areas in Greater Chennai, especially in parts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Tiruvallur.According to Health Department officials,  the official numbers are expected soon.