Daily Times

The Punjab health department launched a five-day anti-polio campaign in all the 36 districts of the province on Monday during which 16.88 million children under five years of age would be administered polio vaccine.

The authorities have also formed more than 65,000 mobile teams for this purpose. The drive will be concluded on September 24. Punjab Chief Secretary Kamran Ali Afzal presided over a meeting to review the campaign at the Civil Secretariat. The chief secretary directed the deputy commissioners to make the anti-polio campaign a success and enlist the help of mosques prayer leaders and elders of the area to raise awareness among people.

The chief secretary said that it was necessary to work with national spirit to eradicate polio. He added that the situation regarding polio cases was better than last year, but concerted efforts for the complete eradication of this deadly disease would have to be continued. He appreciated the services of the staff of health department, administration and police who performed duties in the anti-polio campaigns.

The secretary primary health briefed the meeting that the coverage rate in the anti-polio campaign carried out in 11 districts in August was 99.4 percent, and as many as 82.98 million children were vaccinated against the target of 83.51 million.

The commissioner Lahore, special secretary specialised health, deputy commissioner Lahore and officers concerned attended the meeting that was joined by all the divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners through video link.