Rawalpindi-A five-day anti-polio drive would commence in the entire district from January 24 (today). 
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tahir Farooq will inaugurate the polio immunisation campaign by vaccinating a child at the District Health Authority Office, Khayban-e-Sir Syed while Station Commander (SC) Rawalpindi Brig Salman Nazar will administer drops at Rawalpindi Cantonment General Hospital.
In charge anti-polio drive Muhammad Islam told APP that during the campaign, 2,964 polio teams would go door-to-door and administer polio drops to 718,000 children less than five years in all tehsils and union councils of the district.
Islam said staff deployed for the campaign has been issued special instructions and told that no negligence in this regard would be tolerated.
He said that 396 area in-charges, 204 medical officers, allied hospitals and tehsil headquarters hospitals would participate in the campaign. In addition, “307 fix centres have also been set up to administer drops,” he added.
Islam said that SOPs regarding COVID-19 would be implemented in letter and spirit to ensure safety during the drive while wearing masks and the use of sanitiser would also be mandatory for polio teams.
The in-charge informed that around 12,000 children below five years of age, missed from immunisation being out of city or not present at home in the previous campaign concluding on December 13, would also be covered during the drive. 
He said all possible steps had been taken by the concerned to make the campaign successful. A sufficient quantity of vaccines is available and no stone will be left unturned in our effort to make the campaign a success. Islam said the objective of regularly conducting anti-polio campaigns was to keep children protected and increase their immunity. 
He urged the citizens, particularly the parents, to come forward and play their role in eliminating the crippling disease from society. “The parents should cooperate with special teams so that the set target could be achieved,” he added.