Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: More than 43.5 million children had received Polio vaccine and vitamin-A during the fourth nationwide immunization campaign held in December. 

According to official sources, the Polio Programme also facilitated the process of COVID-19 vaccination in collaboration with the National Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) and the National Command Operations Center (NCOC) in 31 high-risk districts identified by the NCOC. 

The campaign was launched on December 10 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and on December 13 in other parts of the country. More than 290,000 frontline Polio workers along with other team members worked in collaboration to ensure vaccination of children, including those living in hard-to-reach areas. 

Dr. Shahzad Baig, Coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), warmly thanked and congratulated federal and provincial government leadership, frontline workers, parents and caregivers, including all sections of the society, for playing an instrumental role in vaccinating children during the campaign. 

“The unique approach of facilitating COVID-19 vaccination by the Polio workers during the camping helped families to get essential COVID-19 vaccine,” Dr Baig said. 

Dr. Faisal Sultan, the Prime Ministers Special Assistant on National Health Services added, “We will continue using targeted, concerted efforts and focused immunization campaigns to stop the virus circulation and ensure every child is safe from this vaccine-preventable disease.” 

The Polio Programme is optimistic about controlling the poliovirus despite the complex challenges. Recent epidemiological data indicate the declining trend of polio cases and decreased detection of viruses in environmental samples compared to previous years, suggesting the Programme is on track.

The Sehat Tahhafuz Helpline 1166 and 24/7 WhatsApp Helpline 0346-777-65-46 helped parents and caregivers report missed children. 

The repeated polio vaccination campaigns are imperative for building immunity among children and preventing possible death or lifelong paralysis.