Tamil Nadu: 70 lakh kids to get polio vaccination

Chennai: An estimated 70 lakh children in Tamil Nadu below the age of five years are to be covered under the annual national pulse polio immunisation drive that is being held in the state today and on February 21.

State Health Minister C Vijaya Bhaskar formally launched the campaign, organised by the health department, at the Children's Hospital at Egmore here.

The state government has set up over 43,000 booths across the state, including at primary health centres, for administering the vaccine drops to over 70 lakh children, an official release said.

About 3,000 vehicles and 2 lakh workers are involved in the campaign, the second leg of which is to be held on February 21, it added.

In neighbouring Puducherry, Chief Minister N Rangasamy launched the programme at a school.

The drive aimed at covering all 93,000 children below five years in the union territory, Deputy Director of Health (Immunization) Dr Sudha Goel said in a release.

It said more than 2,000 health department staff were deployed on duty during the first phase today.