Monday Morning: A New Chapter In Fight Against Polio Nationwide

News Desk

Islamabad: A nationwide anti-polio campaign begins today (Monday), with over 40 million children receiving the polio vaccine along with a supplementary dosage of vitamin A.

According to details, thousands of teams have been formed in the fight against the crippling disease with the aim of eliminating the virus this year.

The campaign is applicable in all provinces of the country, including the capital city of Islamabad. Special counters would be established at public parks, railway stations, bus stands, and transit points to administer anti-polio drops to children to ensure that no child is left without the vaccine.

Ministry of Health Caretaker Federal Minister Dr Nadeem Jan also directed anti-polio vaccination teams to visit each and every house and administer polio drops to every child under the age of five. The federal minister asked the police department to remain vigilant in their line of duty and work in liaison to avert any untoward incident.

Dr Nadeem Jan stressed that collective efforts would be made to make the country polio-free. It is the responsibility of every individual to protect our future generation by administering anti-polio drops in each anti-polio campaign, he added.

Minister appealed to parents to come forward and get their children immunised, and also cooperate with the polio teams that will knock at their doors to administer polio drops.

Over 1 million to Receive Vaccine in Pindi

As many as 4,199 polio teams would go door-to-door and administer polio drops to 10,15,262 children in all tehsils and union councils of the district during a week-long anti-polio drive.

District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Ijaz Ahmad informed that 243 union council medical officers and 858 area in-charges would also participate in the drive. In addition, 361 fix centres have been set up to administer the drops.

Anti-polio drops would also be administered at 182 transit points, while teams would also be deputed to toll plazas so that no child could miss immunisation, Dr Ijaz further stated.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema warned the officials that strict action would be taken against those responsible for fake entries.

Waqar Cheema further directed the drive to cover the missing and refusal cases by convincing the parents with the help of local community leaders and achieving the target set for the drive.

74.78 million Children will Receive Vaccinations in KP

During the two-phased, five-day campaign, more than 7478 million children under five years of age across the province will be vaccinated against polio.

In the first phase of the anti-polio campaign in Peshawar, Kohat, Mardan, Malakand, and Hazara divisions, around 63,628,95 children will be administered polio drops, stated Emergency Operation Centre (EOC).

In the second phase of the campaign, which will continue from October 9-13, around 11,161 children in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khandivisions will be inoculated, revealed EOC official.

During the campaign, polio drops would also be given to all children up to the age of five living in all Afghan refugee camps in the province, official further stated.

He said that a total of 34,551 teams of trained polio workers have been formed for this anti-polio campaign, of which 31,151 mobile teams, 1,953 fixed teams, and 1,447 transit teams have been formed.

Apart from this, 7,077 area in-charges have also been appointed for effective supervision of these teams, official said, adding that nearly 54,567 police personnel have also been deployed to ensure the effective security of the polio teams during the campaign.

All 34 Districts Unite for Immunization Drive

A seven-day vacination campaign is starting in all 34 districts of Balochistan today in which around 2.4 million children aged up to five years would be administered polio drops, informed EOC Balochistan Coordinator Syed Zahid Shah.

Zahid Shahfurther said that Vitamin A drops will also be given to children during the campaign.

All necessary arrangements have been made in this regard; 10472 teams will be deployed to vaccinate children under the age of five, added Syed Zahid.

At least 8589 mobile teams, 925 fixed teams and 547 transit teams have been deployed in the whole province to make sure that all children are administered polio drops, he mentioned.

Balochistan has been polio-free for the last two years; since January 2021, no polio case has been reported in the province (the last case was reported on January 27, 2021, from district Killa Abdullah), Coordinator stated.

Moreover, no polio virus has been found in the environmental samples in the province since April 2021

We have adopted strict security measures to prevent any unforeseen situation. The Balochistan Levies force, police and Frontier Corps (FC) would be deployed to protect the polio workers, mentioned Shah.

Furthermore, religious scholars are also taking part in persuading the parents who normally refuse to administer the polio drops, EOC Official further added.

CM Domki for Citizens Active Participation

Balochistan Caretaker Chief Minister Mir Ali Mardan has asked parents, scholars, political circles and the media to take full part in anti-polio and provide awareness that our country could be free from polio soon.

Chief Minister directed the commissioners and deputy commissioners of all districts to focus on the anti-polio campaign and especially supervise the campaign in their respective districts so that no child is left out of drinking drops.

Mir Ali further urged the parents to complete the immunisation course for the children along with the polio vaccine to avoid polio and other dangerous diseases.