LAHORE - The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre coordinator for polio eradication has expressed concern over polio virus transmission in Punjab, especially Lahore and Rawalpindi, and cited inability of polio teams to reach to a minor chunk of ‘missed children’ as major reason for this transmission.

According to a press release, he was addressing a delegation of Rotary Foundation led by International Polio Plus Committee Chair Mike McGovernor, International Polio Plus Committee Director Carol Pandak and Aziz Memon of the National Polio Plus Committee and member of the delegation, which visited the Punjab EOC on Thursday for a meet and greet with incoming chief Salman Ghani.

When asked about the province’s inability to interrupt the chain of virus in Lahore, the EOC coordinator said: “We are repeatedly not able to reach a certain population that is noted as missed children after each campaign. We at EOC are now committed to focusing on the vaccination of missed children to break the last chain of polio virus in Punjab.

“Problems are there. But we are committed to overcoming all them,” the coordinator said. Outlining the strategy to vaccinate still missed children in the polio campaigns, EOC Coordinator Salman Ghani said from the next campaign starting April 22 the responsibility was being given to lower cadres of workers “which will help reach the last children missed in polio campaigns” and finally eradicate polio in 2019.

The coordinator emphasised the need for all children to be immunised during every round of immunisation campaign days. “Multiple doses of polio vaccine are required for a child to be fully protected. Parents who do not ensure vaccination of their children are risking health and lives of their own children as well as others around them,” said Salman.

“As long as the virus is being detected anywhere in the country, no child is safe from being infected,” he added.