Punjab To Hold Anti-polio Drive In Eight Districts From Nov 23

LAHORE, (Muzaffargarh.City – 22nd Nov, 2016 ) : Punjab will hold anti-polio campaign in eight districts from November 23 to 25 as part of the Sub National Immunization Day. This was stated by Advisor to Chief Minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique here on Tuesday.

He said that the campaign would target around 5.9 million children of below five years of age in the districts including Lahore, Multan, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Sheikhupura’s 20 union councils.

He said Punjab would make all out efforts to achieve maximum coverage in these districts. He said coordination with districts had been made to ensure complete preparations that included micro planning, meetings of district management, vaccine supply and mapping of population at greater risk to polio virus.

Kh.Salman Rafique said that a total of 15,212 mobile, fixed and transit teams would administer polio drops to children. He further said the campaign was being held in 806 union councils of the eight districts, adding that even though, Punjab had received no polio cases in the year 2016, the environmental samples had been positive on and off and that showed need to immunize children from the deadly disease.

Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Ali Jan Khan directed the staff to ensure implementing pre-campaign activities in line with the National Emergency Plan for Polio Eradication. Director General Health Services Punjab Dr.

Mukhtar Hussain Syed said, “We are completely cognizant of the fact that polio virus is showing in environmental samples recently. The districts have been selected on the basis of environmental samples and risk factors related to population movement patterns from areas having virus circulation.” The movement of the population at inter-provincial borders, especially from the areas having polio virus circulation, was also under special focus, the DG Health said.

Director Immunization Dr. Munir Ahmed requested parents to ensure their children get polio drops. Parents may also take their children to vaccination centers where staff was available to vaccinate for nine vaccine preventable diseases as well, he said and added that in case of teams not visiting the area, parents could contact the helpline 0800 99000 during the campaign days.