Dr. Nandhakumar V Delivers World Polio Day Guest Lecture at Adichunchanagiri College of Nursing

World Polio Day 2026: Guest Lecture on Polio Prevention and Vaccination

Dr. Nandhakumar V, Associate Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Adichunchanagiri Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), B.G. Nagara, was the invited resource person for a University Level Guest Lecture marking World Polio Day 2026. The Department of Child Health Nursing, Adichunchanagiri College of Nursing, B.G. Nagara, organised the lecture on 28 October 2026, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, in the department’s Seminar Hall. Eighty-nine nursing students attended.

Guest Lecture

Dr. Nandhakumar V spoke on “Poliomyelitis: Prevention and the Importance of Polio Vaccination.” The lecture covered how polio spreads, its clinical features and complications, and how it is prevented. It stressed:

• how vaccination prevents paralysis and lifelong disability
• the need for complete and timely immunisation under the national immunisation schedule
• the importance of supplementary polio vaccination campaigns

The session also discussed how healthcare professionals, especially nurses, can educate parents and caregivers, address vaccine hesitancy and encourage community participation in polio eradication. The talk with students and faculty brought out the practical, field-level challenges of reaching full immunisation coverage.

Outcomes

Participants gave the session very positive feedback. Students came away with a better understanding of:

• polio prevention
• the recommended vaccination schedule
• their role in immunisation, health education and disease surveillance

Relevance to the University

The programme strengthened interprofessional education between AIMS and the Adichunchanagiri College of Nursing, and collaboration between constituent institutions of Adichunchanagiri University. It supports public health education and the community immunisation outreach of the Department of Paediatrics, and it contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being). The content will also be used in teaching MBBS and postgraduate students about immunisation, acute flaccid paralysis surveillance and polio eradication.

Conclusion

The guest lecture reinforced the message that every child must be vaccinated on time to keep the world polio-free. AIMS appreciates Dr. Nandhakumar V’s contribution to interprofessional learning and public health awareness.