Pulse Polio drive across state today

Vijayawada: The state government made elaborate arrangements to conduct the Pulse Polio Immunization programme across the state on December 21, Sunday. Health and family welfare commissioner G Veerapandian announced that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the campaign at Undavalli Camp Office, while health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav will launch it at Kakinada Urban Health Centre.

As per Union government guidelines, all children below five years must be administered polio drops.

Over 54 lakh children will be covered through 38,267 booths set up statewide. A total of 98.99 lakh doses supplied by the Centre have already reached district headquarters. Nodal officers have been appointed to supervise the programme in each district.

Minister Satya Kumar Yadav urged parents to actively participate and ensure their children receive the drops. He appealed to health staff, volunteers, and local bodies to cooperate for the success of the campaign.

India was declared polio‑free by the World Health Organization in March 2014, though the virus continues to circulate in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Recently, in October 2025, the virus spread from Afghanistan to Germany, prompting renewed vigilance. Andhra Pradesh last reported a polio case in July 2008 in the undivided East Godavari district.

Since 1995, National Immunization Day has been observed annually to maintain India’s polio‑free status.