Now, polio booth soon at Jaipur international airport

JAIPUR: After setting up a polio booth at Munabao railway station for Thar Express passengers coming from Pakistan, the health department is planning to set up a polio booth at the international airport here and has requested a space for setting up the booth.

"We have requested the airport authorities for space for setting up the booth," Dr R P Jain, project director (immunization) health department said. The department has already deployed nursing staff at the airport and they administer polio drop to passengers coming from polio endemic countries.

"Whenever an international flight comes to Jaipur, they (nursing staff) go to the airport and administer polio drops to passengers, who came from polio endemic countries. As we are administering polio drops to passengers travelling through train from Pakistan, it is also necessary for us to administer polio drops to fliers coming from polio endemic countries to serve the purpose" Dr Jain said.

Though Jaipur has no direct flights from polio endemic countries but people travel to these countries from Rajasthan and also people from these countries come to the state through different routes, the health department official said.

Since India is removed from the list of polio endemic list, the health ministry has stepped up efforts to prevent the polio virus entering India from other countries.

The department has started administering polio drops even to adults coming and going to Pakistan by Thar Express. Earlier, only children under 5 were administered the polio drops.

Department officials claimed that it is protecting the national boundaries from polio virus. Rajasthan is also putting in efforts as a lot of people from eight polio endemic countries, come as tourists.

Moreover, they claimed that they have received verbal instructions to add one more country in the list. Now, passengers going to Cameroon or coming from the country will have to take polio drops. Tourists or nationals from these eight countries will have to have polio drops irrespective to their age. Even people of Rajasthan visiting any of these eight countries, will be administered polio drops.
 
Source:   http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com