Minister of Health Y. Satya Kumar Yadav launched the Pulse Polio Immunisation Programme and administered polio drops to children at the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in the Industrial Estate here on Sunday (June 28, 2026). The Minister was accompanied by Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat, North MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju, and District Collector M. Abhishikt Kishore.

Addressing the gathering, Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav stated that the State has set a target of administering the polio vaccine to 49.2 lakh children below the age of five. To achieve this, nearly 60 lakh vaccine doses have been made available, and around 1.33 lakh healthcare personnel, including ASHA workers, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), Anganwadi workers, nursing staff, and Mid-Level Health Providers (MLHPs), have been deployed across the State, he said.

The Minister said that the immunisation drive is being carried out in four phases. On the first day, vaccination will be administered at nearly 30,000 pulse polio booths set up across the State. Around 1,200 mobile medical units have been deployed to reach remote areas, while transit booths have been established at all the bus and railway stations to vaccinate children travelling with their families. During the final two days of the campaign, healthcare teams will conduct door-to-door visits to ensure that no eligible child is left out.

The Minister said the government is strengthening primary healthcare services in rural areas by setting up Ayushman Arogya Centres. Since the formation of the NDA government, a total of 4,563 Ayushman Arogya Centres have been developed across the State in different phases, including 1,325 centres in the North Andhra region alone.

With the onset of the monsoon, the Minister said the government has also intensified preventive measures against seasonal diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya through fever surveys, fogging operations, sanitation drives and continuous monitoring.

Speaking about the drive in Visakhapatnam district, MP Sribharat said that nearly 1.89 lakh children below the age of five have been identified for immunisation and all necessary arrangements have been made for the successful implementation of the programme. He called upon public representatives, government officials, healthcare workers, ASHA workers, Anganwadi staff, voluntary organisations and the public to work together to ensure every eligible child receives the vaccine.

District Collector M. Abhishikt Kishore stated that the Pulse Polio campaign is being conducted over three days in the district. A total of 1,002 fixed vaccination booths have been established, along with 62 mobile and transit booths to cover remote areas and high-footfall locations. The district administration has stocked approximately three lakh vaccine doses. Special teams have been deployed at bus stations and railway stations to vaccinate travelling children. The Collector mentioned that healthcare teams will undertake door-to-door visits over the next two days to vaccinate children who could not attend the booths on the first day. He urged parents to cooperate to ensure that every eligible child is covered.