Rawalpindi-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Health Authority Dr. Faiza Kanwal has said that COVID-19 standard operating procedure (SOPs) would be followed in letter and spirit during the five-day anti-polio drive.
Talking to APP, the she said that to make the polio campaign successful, training of union council incharges of mobile polio teams have been completed under the supervision of health officers. During the campaign, 2,964 polio teams would go door-to-door and administer polio drops to 719,000 children less than five years in all tehsils and union councils of the district. Dr. Faiza said that SOPs regarding COVID-19 would be applied to ensure safety during the drive while wearing face masks and use of sanitizer would also be mandatory for polio teams. She said, “Polio is a national issue and it is the responsibility of all to play an effective role to make the country polio free.”
Meanwhile, Incharge of the anti-polio drive, Muhammad Islam informed that 396 area incharges, 204 medical officers, and allied hospitals, and tehsil headquarter hospitals would participate in the campaign. He said all possible steps have been taken to make the campaign a success.
“307 fix centres have also been set up to administer drops,” he added.
A sufficient quantity of vaccines was available, and no stone would be left unturned in our effort to make the campaign a success.
He urged citizens, particularly parents, to come forward and play their role in the elimination of the crippling disease from society. “The parents should cooperate with special teams so that the set target could be achieved,” he added.
Police have also made foolproof security arrangements to provide security to polio vaccinators while around 1,000 police personnel, vehicles of police stations, including motorbikes, dolphin squad would also be used for effective patrolling around the teams.
The five-day anti-polio drive was aimed at vaccinating over 0.7 million children under five years of age and would continue till September 24.