Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: A five-day anti-polio drive would commence in the entire district of Rawalpindi from April 25 (Monday). During the campaign, as many as 1,850 polio teams would go door-to-door and administer polio drops to 811,708 children less than five years of age, Executive District Officer EDO Health Dr Arshad Ali Sabir said on Friday. He said that the staff deployed for the campaign has been issued special instructions and informed that no negligence in this regard would be tolerated.  The EDO said that as many as 1,850 mobile teams have been constituted for door-to-door polio vaccination of the children. Besides that 270 special centres would be set up to facilitate the parents so that their children could be vaccinated in nearby areas. Sufficient quantity of vaccine is available and no stone would be left unturned in our efforts to make the campaign a success. District Programme Coordinator Javaid Iqbal Ch informed that the Health Department officials have been directed to remain vigilant particularly in those areas where poliovirus was found during the last campaign. He said that all possible steps had been taken by the Health Department to make the campaign a success. The district programme coordinator urged the citizens particularly the parents to come forward and play their role for the elimination of the crippling disease from the society. He said that the parents should cooperate with the special teams so that the set target could be achieved. He further said that the continuous efforts are being made to control polio.  He said that special teams have also been formed to cover areas from where complaints about unattended children are registered adding that special arrangements have also been made to cover cantonment board areas of Rawalpindi district.