Shillong, Dec 15: National Immunisation Day (NID) for the Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign 2025, focusing on children up to five years of age, was launched in different districts of the state today.
In South West Garo Hills, Deputy Commissioner Hema Nayak inaugurated the campaign at Naragre Lower Primary School under Mellim Primary Health Centre.
The launch programme was attended by the Sub-Divisional Medical and Health Officer, Dr Lydia Marak, and District Immunisation Officer Dr Noreen Sangma, along with other health officials.
Addressing the gathering, Nayak urged all parents and caregivers to bring their children to the nearest immunisation booths and ensure they receive the two drops of oral polio vaccine, emphasising that the vaccine is vital to protect children from the polio virus and save lives.
The Pulse Polio campaign is aimed at ensuring complete coverage and to sustain the polio-free status of the region.
Meanwhile, in West Jaintia Hills, the three-day campaign was inaugurated by Emelya Ch Momin, Assistant Commissioner, who administered polio drops to the children at Lumkyrwiang Urban Public Health Centre in Jowai.
Momin said that the Pulse Polio programme is a vital national initiative aimed at protecting every child below five years of age from poliomyelitis. Expressing satisfaction on learning that polio booths have been opened across the district,covering all localities and villages, enabling parents to conveniently bring their children for immunisation.
She emphasised that although India has been declared polio-free, the risk of polio still exists due to population movement.
Dr S Surong, a paediatrician at the Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Panaliar, Jowai stated that polio is a fatal disease and, though only 1 percent of cases progress to paralysis, the condition is severe and irreversible.
She stressed that since there is no cure for polio, immunisation remains the only effective preventive measures.
Dr Surong also addressed a common concern among parents and clarified that even if a child has already received polio vaccination under routine immunisation, the child should still be vaccinated during special immunisation drives.
