Manipur ASHA worker braves 8-hr hill trek to deliver polio vaccines

Imphal, Oct 16: An ASHA worker Maidiniliu Prinmai – a resident of Atangkhullen (Nenluang) Liangmai in Tamenglong district – walked for eight hours across hilly terrain to ensure timely delivery of polio vaccines to children in her village.

Acknowledging Maidiniliu’s efforts by sharing two of her photographs on X on Wednesday, the Manipur Raj Bhavan wrote, “13 years of tireless service. ASHA worker Meidinliu (51) walked 8 hours across hills to reach Attangkhunou and Attangkhullen villages for the Intensified Pulse Polio Immunization (IPPI) Programme – delivering essential health services and medicines to ensure no one is left behind. A salute to her dedication and spirit of service!”

On Sunday, the State-level Polio Sub-National Immunization Day 2025 was inaugurated in the Manipur capital, targeting children aged 0 to 5 years of age to receive 100 per cent oral polio vaccine dose, stop wild poliovirus circulation, sustain immunization efforts and monitor acute flaccid paralysis cases.

This year’s immunization drive aims to cover around 3,16,671 children through 3,167 immunization booths across Manipur. As many as 633 supervisors and 15,833 vaccine administrators have also been selected for the task.

Although India has been declared polio-free, sustained immunization remains crucial, particularly in view of the fact that neighbouring countries continue to report cases of the disease.

The last reported case of polio in India took place at Kolkata in 2011.