National Immunization Day: Andhra to vaccinate 50 lakh children on June 28

The Andhra Pradesh government will vaccinate nearly 50 lakh children under five years with two drops of oral polio vaccine on June 28, 2026, as part of National Immunization Day. A massive state-wide action plan has been rolled out with over 29,000 booths, 1.31 lakh personnel, and 68.6 lakh doses to ensure no child is missed.

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government has identified nearly 50 lakh children below the age of five years for polio vaccination on June 28 as part of National Immunization Day.

The drive aims to administer two drops of bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV) to all eligible children in the zero to five age group, said an official press release on Friday.

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“Government of Andhra Pradesh has put in place a comprehensive, state-wide action plan for the successful conduct of the National Immunization Day — Pulse Polio Programme — on 28 June 2026, covering every eligible child in the age group of 0–5 years with two drops of bOPV,” it said.

State Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav emphasised that sustaining Andhra Pradesh’s polio-free status is a shared responsibility of the Government, parents, civil society and community institutions.

Addressing a state taskforce on immunization, S Suresh Kumar, principal secretary, Health, Medical & Family Welfare Department said India’s polio-free status is one of the country’s most important public health achievements and must be protected with sustained vigilance.

Though India has remained polio-free for more than 15 years and Andhra Pradesh for more than 17 years, Kumar said the risk of importation continues as wild poliovirus transmission is still being reported from endemic countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The detection of wild poliovirus in environmental surveillance outside endemic regions has once again reminded the global community that no country is fully safe until polio is eradicated everywhere, he said.

“The objective is clear and non-negotiable. Not even one eligible child should be missed. Every booth, every household, every transit point and every high-risk habitation must be reached. District Collectors shall lead the campaign at the district level and ensure active coordination of all line departments,” said Kumar.

A total of 29,873 polio booths, 59,746 house-to-house teams, 1,757 mobile teams for high-risk and migratory areas, and 1,144 transit booths have been arranged across Andhra Pradesh for the vaccination drive.

More than 1.31 lakh field personnel are being deployed for the campaign while the state has received over 68.6 lakh doses of bOPV vaccine, which have been distributed to the districts based on beneficiary load, the press release added.