Centre Reschedules Polio National Immunisation Day for 31 January

This decision comes in light of the the vaccination drive for COVID-19 in India which will begin on 16 January.

The polio drive was scheduled for 17 January, a pan-India initiative to administer polio drops to children who are 5 years old and younger.

(Photo: iStock)

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has decided to reschedule the polio National Immunisation Day for 31 January due to the launch of COVID-19 vaccination on 16 January, a press release by the Government of India said on Thursday, 14 January.

“The decision is in keeping with the stated policy of the Health Ministry to ensure that COVID-19 health services and non-COVID-19 essential health services proceed in tandem without adversely impacting each other,” said a press release.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Health had announced that the National Polio immunisation programme has been postponed until further notice by the Centre due to ‘unforeseen activities’. It was originally scheduled for 17 January.

The press release on Thursday also said that President Kovind will launch the Polio National Immunisation Day on 30 January by administering polio drops to some children at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan had stated the importance of the vaccine on 9 January citing that it is ‘essential the nation maintained overall immunity levels against polio virus’, quoted PTI.

The vaccination drive for COVID-19 in India will begin on 16 January 2021, the Centre said on Saturday, 9 January. “Priority will be given to the healthcare workers and the frontline workers, estimated to be around 3 crore, followed by those above 50 years and the under-50 population groups with co-morbidities numbering around 27 crore,” the Centre said.

(With inputs from PTI.)