Alappuzha: The health department failed to administer pulse polio drops to 4,90,645 children as parents were not ready to take the children to the centres. In polio vaccination drive held on January 19, Malappuram district recorded the least number of administration. It is learned that polio vaccine was not administrated to 46 percent children in the pulse polio immunisation programme held on January 19 in Malappuram.

The health department planned to administer polio drops to 24,50,477 children in the state. Among them, polio vaccine was given to 19,59,832 children on January 19. That means, 80 percent children were covered in the immunisation drive. At the same time, 20 percent children were not vaccinated.

A total of 23,466 polio vaccination booths were opened in the state in various places, including KSRTC bus stand and railway stations. It is reported that parents had not taken the children to the booths for vaccination. When parents in Malappuram, Kasaragod and Palakkad ignored the vaccination drive, Idukki, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kollam districts recorded 90 percent vaccination.

Meanwhile, the health department officials will visit the houses and administer polio drops to children till Tuesday. At the same time, attempts are being made to make parents aware about the need to vaccinate children.

The total number of children covered under the vaccination drive will be confirmed after getting reports of immunisation on Tuesday. With this, only the department will be able to review whether the awareness programme was successful or not.

“Polio immunisation aims to check the disease which makes the person paralysed for lifetime. This is not an injection. It is just drops which is 100 percent safe and there are no side effects to it. Every child should be taken for polio vaccination to completely prevent polio in the state," said Dr B Padmakumar, professor in Alappuzha medical college.