Daily Times

LAHORE: Punjab Health Department would hold a three-day anti-polio campaign in all 36 districts from tomorrow (Monday), as part of the National Immunisation Day.

Advisor to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the campaign would target 18.4 million children of below the age of five years in 3,550 union councils of the province. He said National Immunisation Days are held countrywide and Punjab, on its part, would make all out efforts to achieve best possible results.

He said directives have been issued to the provincial Emergency Operation Centre to coordinate with districts and ensure complete preparations that includes micro planning, meetings of district management, vaccine supply and mapping of population at greater risk to poliovirus.

Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan said that the polio has been declared a national emergency and respective district coordination officers (DCOs) are leading polio eradication efforts at district level. “The complete ownership by district management under the leadership of DCOs has been pivotal in ensuring better results in polio eradication across Punjab,” he added.

Ali Jan Khan said that over 43,000 teams have been constituted for the campaign, which includes more than 36,000 mobile teams and 4,340 fixed sites. The secretary also directed the staff to ensure preparatory activities in line with National Emergency Plan for Polio Eradication.

Punjab Health Services Director General Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed said, “We have analysed the results of three campaigns and identified weak union councils needing major improvement. The executive district officers (Health) of these districts have been directed to especially monitor these union councils.”

Emergency Operation Centre Coordinator Dr Munir Ahmed requested the parents to ensure their children get polio drops. He said parents might also take their children to vaccination centres where staff is available to vaccinate for nine vaccine-preventable diseases as well. He said in case of teams not visiting the area, parents can contact the helpline 0800 99000 during the campaign days.