Pulse Polio Immunisation: 5 things you must know

Ahead of the National Immunisation Day, President Ram Nath Kovind launches Pulse Polio programme 2019, in order to sustain polio eradication drive from the country. President of India Ram Nath Kovind launched the program by administering polio drops to children less than five years old, at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Here're 5 things about the Pulse Polio programme:

• Universal Immunization Programme is focusing to protect children from more diseases than ever before and has introduced several new vaccines like Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine, Rotavirus vaccine, and Measles-Rubella vaccine in the recent past.

• More than 17 crore children of less than five years across the country will be given polio drops as part of the drive.

• Along with the Pulse Polio programme, the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine into its routine immunization program has also been launched to provide additional protection to children.

• Along with the Universal Immunization Programme, Mission Indradhanush has been launched to accelerate our goal to achieve more than 90% full immunization coverage. More than 3.39 crore children and 87 lakh pregnant women have been vaccinated through Mission Indradhanush drives.

• Strengthening of immunization programme has contributed significantly to the decline of Infant Mortality Rate from 39 in 2014 to 32 per 1000 live births in 2017.

Also read: Pulse Polio Programme 2019 launched by President Ram Nath Kovind, to benefit 17 crore kids