Pulse Polio campaign Sunday

BHUBANESWAR: The pulse polio immunisation campaign would be held across the State on Sunday with a goal of covering 46,56,254 children in 0-5 age group. The immunisation drive would be conducted through 18,684 centres in 58 highly-sensitive, 98 moderate and 158 sensitive blocks in 30 districts. Around 74,736 health workers under 3,637 supervisors have been pressed into service. The campaign was earlier scheduled for February 19 but had to be put off to February 26 on account of the panchayat polls. The Health Department has launched an SMS alert service to send messages intimating date and time of the pulse polio administration among the children. The messages have been sent to 20 lakh mobile phone users in the State.  Last year, 46,56,070 children had been administered polio drops, according to sources.POLIO SURGERY: The Marwari Yuva Manch Cuttack Vikash (MYMCV) has announced a novel initiative of offering free surgery to correct disabilities in children afflicted by polio. A team of doctors under Dr Adi Narayan Rao of Visakhapatnam would screen patients at the Hi-Tech Hospital here on March 1. Selected patients would go under the knife on March 1 and 2. The project also involves distribution of artificial limbs and callipers. The MYMCV will make arrangements for free board and lodging for more than 2,000  beneficiaries. Free bus service from Nishamani Hall in Cuttack and Phulnakhara to the hospital has been arranged, general secretary Ruchi Agarwal said.“A camp of this magnitude is held for the first time in the Twin Cities. The initiative is an expression of MYMCV’s commitment to the cause of helping the physically-challenged overcome disabilities to lead normal lives,” said president Vivek Agarwal.