Pulse Polio Programme for 2019

Pulse Polio Programme for 2019

Question: Who launched the countrywide Pulse Polio Programme for 2019 on March 9, 2019?
(a) Venkaiah Naidu
(b) Ram Nath Kovind
(c) Narendra Modi
(d) Maenka Gandhi
Answer: (b)
Related facts:

  • President Ram Nath Kovind launched the Pulse Polio programme for 2019 by administering polio drops to children less than five years old at the Rahstrapati Bhawan. This was done in the presence of J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
  • President administered the polio drops on the eve of the National Immunization Day which was observed on March 10, 2019.
  • More than 17 crore children of less than five years across the country will be given polio drops as part of the drive of Government of India to sustain polio eradication from the country.
  • As per the Health Minister, government has introduced several new vaccines like Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine, and Measles-Rubella vaccine in the recent past. Government has also introduced the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine into its routine immunization program.
  • Government has also launched Mission Indradhanush to provide immunization coverage to more than 90% full immunization coverage.
  • This programme has also led to decrease in Infant Mortalirty Rate from from 39 in 2014 to 32 per 1000 lives in 2017.

Pulse Polio Program:

  • As per World Health Assembly resolution in 1988 for eradication of polio. Pulse Polio Immunization programme was launched in India in 1995. Children in the age group of 0-5 years administered polio drops during National and Sub-national immunization rounds (in high risk areas) every year. About 172 million children are immunized during each National Immunization Day (NID).
  • The Pulse Polio Initiative was started with an objective of achieving hundred per cent coverage under Oral Polio Vaccine. It aimed to immunize children through improved social mobilization, plan mop-up operations in areas where poliovirus has almost disappeared and maintain high level of morale among the public.
  • WHO on 24th February 2012 removed India from the list of countries with active endemic wild polio virus transmission.

Links:
http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=189364
https://www.nhp.gov.in/pulse-polio-programme_pg