LAHORE         -       Students of the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) on Friday paid a visit to the polio Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), vaccination teams in High Risk Union Council 109 and adjacent households ahead of the National Immunisation Campaign starting from December 16.  The visit was jointly organised by the Punjab polio programme and the Punjab University’s ISCS Department. The Polio Emergency Operations Centre of Punjab and the department have recently agreed to promote polio eradication efforts through a mutually agreed set of activities. During their visit students, who belonged to various provinces including KP, FATA, Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan, met with the coordinator of the Emergency Operations Centre Salman Ghani and inquired about challenges in polio eradication.  “I am happy to see students belonging to all parts of the country visiting the polio emergency operations centre,” said Salman, adding: “The students’ voice has more power as they are the youth of the country.”  The EOC coordinator further said “polio eradication is being given special importance because it could paralyse children forever, polio has no cure unlike other diseases like cancer or hepatitis which can be cured”. Students posed several queries to the coordinator regarding number epidemiology and protection from the paralytic virus. “I assure you polio vaccine is the safest ever developed,” he said.  After the visit to polio Emergency Operations Centre, the students moved to a polio eradication health facility in UC 109 and reviewed arrangements made to vaccinate children.  Polio teams briefed the visiting students about vaccine and steps taken to maintain its efficacy.