E-Paper
A lacklustre polio drive
The six-day pulse polio drive that started on Sunday painted the same old story of poor attendance of children, missing banners and posters and lack of enthusiasm among workers. The hot and humid weather further dampened the plans of district health department to increase booth coverage in this polio drive. The booths started at 8 am with average number of children coming to take the polio drops. But as the crisp morning air converted into hot afternoon wind the attendance suddenly dropped at the polio booths.
The six-day pulse polio drive that started on Sunday painted the same old story of poor attendance of children, missing banners and posters and lack of enthusiasm among workers. The hot and humid weather further dampened the plans of district health department to increase booth coverage in this polio drive.
The booths started at 8 am with average number of children coming to take the polio drops. But as the crisp morning air converted into hot afternoon wind the attendance suddenly dropped at the polio booths. By 1.30 pm most of the booths in Attarsuiya, Atala and Nurullah road barely managed to immunise 80 to 100 children. The percentage of new children was also very low. In comparison to the last polio drive some polio booths in Attarsuiya and Atala witnessed zero per cent new children.
"All the 80 children who were administered polio drops were card holders and already immunised in the last drive. This time no new kid came at the booth till 2pm. But we are still hopeful to cross last month's figure of immunising children at the polio booth," said Vijay Tewari incharge of booth number 26 at Attarsuiya crossing.
The booth number 81 near Qadir Sweets on Nurullah Road also managed to immunise a little over 80 children by late afternoon. "The booth response is average. Most of children were immunised with the help of bulawa tolis. The bad weather condition is also responsible for low turn out of children," said incharge Anamika.
The publicity banners and posters were visible at only few places in Atala, Attarsuiya and Kareli. Most of the booth workers also looked exhausted and tired of managing the booths every month.
