Jammu: Commissioner Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME), M Raju, on Thursday chaired a meeting of the State Task Force to review preparedness and micro-planning for the upcoming Pulse Polio National Immunization Day scheduled for June 28, 2026.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioners, Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), Director Family Welfare, MCH & Immunization, Director Health Services Jammu and Director Health Services Kashmir, among other senior officials.
Addressing the meeting, M Raju said that while India has maintained its polio-free status since reporting the last wild poliovirus case in January 2011 and receiving official certification in March 2014, continued vigilance remains essential due to the risk of re-importation from countries where transmission persists.
He appreciated the efforts of health departments in both Jammu and Kashmir divisions for achieving a high non-polio Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance rate. The Union Territory has recorded an AFP surveillance rate of 6.6 cases per 100,000 children below 15 years of age, higher than the national average of 3.6 and above the prescribed target.
During the meeting, officials informed that the three-day immunization campaign from June 28 to 30 aims to cover 18.91 lakh children below five years of age across Jammu and Kashmir.
To ensure that no child is left out, the health department has strengthened cold chain arrangements, with 24,176 vaccine carriers distributed across designated vaccination points.
The department has mobilised 40,291 vaccinators, 2,610 supervisors, 10,253 vaccination booths, 791 transit points, 337 mela and bazaar sites and 825 mobile teams for the campaign.
The Commissioner Secretary directed Deputy Commissioners and CMOs to ensure 100 per cent coverage, with special attention to vulnerable areas and transit locations.
He stressed the need for dedicated mobile teams to cover high-risk areas, including nomadic settlements, migratory slums, brick kilns, construction sites and industrial areas.
Officials were also instructed to deploy transit teams at railway stations, airports, bus terminals, religious places and tourist destinations to ensure children travelling through these locations receive polio drops.
Concluding the review, M Raju directed CMOs and Deputy CMOs to coordinate with concerned departments and work closely with Deputy Commissioners to maintain quality and coverage standards during the campaign.
He appealed to parents, citizens and civil society organisations to support health workers and ensure that every child below five years receives the “Two Drops of Life” on June 28.
