Alpha Foundation assists Round-II Intensive Pulse Polio Program

GANGTOK, 02 March: The Alpha Foundation (the Corporate Social Responsibility wing of ICFAI University, Sikkim) assisted in the monitoring and implementation of the Round II / Phase II of the Intensive Pulse Polio Program in Gangtok by the Immunization Cell, Family Welfare and Health Department, informs a press release.
The three-day program, from 27 Feb to 01 March, was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Shashi Pradhan, State Immunization Officer, STNM Hospital.

The Alpha Foundation assisted by supervising and evaluating the seven Polio booths located in and around Sichey on the first day. Since Sunday is the booth-activity day for immunization of children below 5 years of age, Oral Polio drops were provided to all children aged 0-5 years who were brought to the booth which was followed by two days of house-to-house immunization.
The Assistant Manager and the Project Officer of the Alpha Foundation monitored the implementation.  The ICDS teachers and the ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) were also actively involved in this program, the release further mentions.
The Intensive Pulse Polio Program was started in Sikkim since the year 1995. The two phases of Intensive Pulse Polio Program for this year has been completed in Sikkim. Other states like Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, with higher rate of Polio prevalence , receives more rounds of this program every year.
‘Pulse Polio’ is a national level campaign established by the government of India in 1994 to eradicate poliomyelitis (polio) in India by annually vaccinating all children below five years of age against poliovirus. Poliomyelitis is the commonest cause of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) in India and thus polio eradication is an urgent necessity. Available options are provision of safe drinking water, proper sanitation and high level of routine immunization.  Two drops of Polio are administered to children of age group 0 -5 years (including new-borns) every year on the occasion of National Polio Day and the same child is re-administered the Polio drops in the 2nd Round of the program as well.