KOTA KINABALU, Feb 15 — More than 5,000 children aged five years and below received free polio vaccines in Putatan, near here today.

Petagas assemblyman, Datuk Uda Sulai said the Sabah Health Ministry campaign was targeting at least 8,700 children around Petagas and Putatan to get the polio vaccine doses.

"We are very grateful for the implementation of this programme and it shows that the government is committed to prevent the spread of polio in Sabah,” he said.

He said this after reviewing the implementation of the Sabah Polio Immunisation Campaign in Kampung Ulu, Putatan, near here today.

Meanwhile, Uda, who is also Sabah Law and Native Affairs Assistant Minister, urged the people in Putatan to practice good hygiene at home to prevent the spread of the disease.

He said it was the joint responsibility of the local community and the government to maintain cleanliness by supporting every community programme. — Bernama