Daily Times

Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Saif Ullah Dogar has said that no case of polio virus has been reported in Rawalpindi during the last decade, but the danger of polio still exists because a small segment of population in Rawalpindi stays here for a short time due to geographical position of the city and that segment is responsible for the presence of polio virus in the environmental samples of Rawalpindi.

He said the field teams of Health department of Rawalpindi have played an active role in the control of polio virus in the population of the city due to which the children of Rawalpindi is secured from polio virus.

He expressed these views in a seminar held at Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi in connection with the International Polio Day. CEO District Health Authority Rawalpindi Suhail Ahmed Chaudhry, DHO Dr. Tahir Rizvi, Child Specialist of HFH Dr. Rai Asghar, Federal Surveillance Officer WHO Dr. Shafique, Provincial Surveillance Officer Dr. Ghazala, Dr. Sarwat and other concerning officers were also present.

DC Saif Ullah Dogar said that the field teams of Health Department has also played an active role in the control of dengue and thousands of more residents of Rawalpindi would have been fallen victim to the dengue if emergency measures were not taken to control it. He said that teams of polio control should discharge their duties as a religious and national obligation. He said if a single child is fall victim to polio virus in Punjab and all over Pakistan, the whole society and the state machinery could be held responsible.

Dr. Rai Asghar said Rawalpindi is free from polio case for the last ten years but during the current year an alarming number of polio cases have been reported and in this situation anti polio campaign should be made more effective. DHO Dr. Tahir Rizvi said the major cause of polio control in Rawalpindi is the active role of polio control teams. He said polio vaccination is secured and it changes its colour if it is not fit for use.