Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Ali R. Rizvi informed here today that Pulse Polio Immunization Campaign would be carried out on 20th January, 2013 and 24th February, 2013 in two rounds for children in the age group of 0-5 years. It will be booth and House-to House activity on subsequent 2nd and 3rd days to cover all the left out children. He said that in all parts of Himachal Pradesh it would be mainly booth based activities on first day and House-to House activity on the subsequent days till all the left out children were administered polio drops.

Rizvi said that IPPI dates will remain same throughout the State including snow bound areas and to cover the children of urban slums/under served and projects sites special IPPI booths and mobile teams were being arranged so that each and every child could be covered. He further added that the children of Gaddi and Gujjar tribes should be given polio drops at the Forest Check Posts whenever they cross over these Check Posts. He said that approximately 5853 booths had been planned throughout the State each catering a population of 125 children and approximately seven lakh children would be administered the polio drops. Each booth shall be manned by four persons, two technical persons from Health and Ayurvedic Department and rest two will be deployed from other departments, he added.

Principal Secretary said that polio eradication campaign was social mobilization which could only be achieved by cooperation and wholehearted support of all government and Non Government Organizations and full community participation by involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions, Mahila Mandals and Mahila Swasthya Sangh and Social Workers etc. He urged to sensitize the people about the importance of Pulse Polio Immunization Campaign and ensure that no child in the age group of 0-5 years of age was left uncovered.