Daily Times

On the directions of the Chief Minister Punjab, the provincial government has stepped up its efforts to ensure the complete eradication of polio and has decided to establish polio counters at all 14 entry and exit points of the province.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the Provincial Taskforce on Polio Eradication held at the Civil Secretariat. Provincial ministers Khawaja Salman Rafique, Khawaja Imran Nazir, Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman, Secretary Health Ali Jan, Punjab Polio Prevention Program head Khizar Afzal and officers concerned attended the meeting. The participants agreed to raise the target of routine immunization to 95 percent for prevention of polio and other diseases.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that during the next anti-polio campaign, all the provincial ministers would be present in the field with the polio teams. He mentioned that a different mechanism for polio eradication would be devised for each district. He said that the deputy commissioners, and CEOs health should inform about the problems hindering the desired goals of polio eradication.

Khawaja Imran Nazir said that if needed, a health emergency would be declared in the province in connection with polio. He said that the mobile population was the main source of spread of the virus, adding that every child entering the boundaries of Punjab would be administered polio vaccine.

The Chief Secretary directed the health department to take action against the staff who showed poor performance in the anti-polio campaigns. He said that eradication of polio was a national agenda, and “there is no room for negligence”. He remarked that the child who was left without polio vaccine becomes a ‘problem child’ for the whole world. He asserted that an unconventional plan has to be adopted to achieve required results from the anti-polio campaign.

Secretary Health Ali Jan gave a detailed briefing at the meeting. He told the participants that the ongoing anti-polio campaign in five districts including Lahore would continue till July 7. He said that polio virus has been confirmed in the environmental samples of Rawalpindi and Gujranwala.

Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Health and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Disaster Management, Khawaja Salman Rafique on Thursday reached Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Headquarters to review monsoon rains preparations and river conditions.

He toured the PDMA control room where Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia briefed him in detail about the status of monsoon rains and water levels in rivers and working of the department to meet the challenges.

Minister Rafique also reviewed the safety measures in place across the province regarding the monsoon rains.

On the occasion, Khawaja Salman Rafique said that preparations were complete to tackle the torrential rains and potential floods in Punjab and an awareness campaign was being conducted regarding precautionary measures.

“We are making every effort to ensure timely measures for the protection of human lives and all the departments, divisional and district administrations should maintain close coordination, as coordination between PDMA and other institutions will prove extremely effective in disaster prevention,” he added.

Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia said that all the resources would be utilized to address the potential flood threats and precautionary arrangements have been completed in vulnerable districts.

“Due to climatic changes, Pakistan may face severe rains and flood conditions”, he warned.