Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay officially launched the state’s annual Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign by administering oral polio vaccine drops to children at the Adi Dravidar Welfare Higher Secondary School in Palavakkam, Chennai, on Sunday, June 28, 2026, reaffirming the government's commitment to protecting children from the debilitating disease.
The project's target is to protect over 5.2 million children under 5 across the state. The campaign aims to ensure that every eligible child receives polio drops, helping maintain India's polio-free status through widespread immunisation efforts. He launched the event on the occasion of National Pulse Polio Immunisation Day. It marked the beginning of a massive statewide immunisation drive targeting children below the age of five. However, there is one event that captured people's attention more, and that was his interaction with a child.
CM Vijay launched the Pulse Polio Campaign
CM Vijay launched Tamil Nadu's annual Pulse Polio Immunisation Campaign on National Pulse Polio Immunisation Day at the Adi Dravidar Welfare Higher Secondary School. During the launch event, CM Vijay administered polio drops to young children and interacted with families who had gathered at the vaccination centre. However, it was a heartwarming moment with an infant that quickly captured the attention of social media users. Photos and videos of the Chief Minister gently holding and interacting with the baby soon began circulating online, drawing widespread appreciation from netizens.
Netizens' reactions
Many social media users affectionately referred to the child as a "lucky baby" for getting the opportunity to meet and be held by the Chief Minister. Several users praised Vijay's warm and approachable demeanour, while others highlighted the importance of public leaders actively participating in health awareness campaigns.
A netizen named Harsh Kant wrote in the comment section, "Master blaster for a reason."
Miraj Mustafa said, "Politics aside, every child protected from polio is a win. Public health initiatives deserve support, regardless of who inaugurates them."
While many trolled Vijay's action and called his initiative PR, another netizen said, "Is he a Dr. or nurse to be administering #polio drops?
Raja M said, "These things have been happening for the past 40 years. Polio oral drops are given to every child in the nearby school. Even I was given the same polio drops when I was a kid. The only addition here is the PR and drama by Vijay. PR to hide the failure and the drug minister Ghili Sarath."
