MULTAN
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared Multan a high-risk district after polio virus was found from another sewage sample.
This was disclosed by the District Coordination Officer (DCO) Syed Gulzar Hussain Shah while chairing a meeting on Saturday to review arrangements for upcoming three-day polio vaccination drive starting from October 23. The DCO told the meeting that earlier the virus was found in sewage sample from Mauza Kotla Abdul Fateh Labar while now it was located in the sample from Ali Town Vehari Road.
He said that the WHO expressed serious concern on the performance of polio vaccination teams while the Punjab Chief Secretary also took serious notice of the situation. “Our polio vaccination mechanism has serious flaws and if these flaws are not tapped, any child can fall prey to the crippling virus,” he warned. He directed the EDO Health to submit a report on flaws in vaccination mechanism besides issuing order for the suspension of supervisor of vaccination drive in both above mentioned areas. He also issued order for cancellation of registration of those private schools that refused to cooperate with the polio vaccination teams. Briefing the participants of the meeting, the EDO Health Dr Iftikhar Qureshi told that a total of 43 polio cases were so far reported from different parts of country out of which 31 were from Fata, seven Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three Sindh and two Punjab. He said that the polio vaccination drive was being launched in all urban and seven rural union councils of Multan, Shujabad and Jalalpur Pirwala during which 335,301 kids will be administered polio vaccine.
inquiry report:Gojra THQ Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Anwarul Haq completed his inquiry report and send to the Punjab Secretary Health regarding the allegations of a Health and Nutrition Supervisor Umair Ahmad against the Health Department officials.
The Punjab Secretary Health had ordered inquiry on the complaint of Umair Ahmad who had levelled charges of tampering with record of his service against DO Health Dr Abdul Hameed and Programme Director Raja Nasar Iqbal.