FAISALABAD/SIALKOT - The five-day anti-polio campaign has started to save children from crippling disease in the district.
Health Department for Pandemic Coordinator, Dr Zulqarnain on Monday said that 1,480,125 children up to the age of five years in 289 union councils of the district would be administered anti-polio vaccine.
The anti-polio teams would engage in the campaign till October 28, he said. “If any child remains administering anti-polio vaccine, the parents could administer vaccine by visiting their nearby hospitals.” He also appealed to the parents to vaccinate their children against the disease for their safety.
Meanwhile, the District Health Authority held an awareness walk led by Deputy Commissioner Imran Hamid Sheikh to mark world anti-polio day here. Chief Executive Officer Health Dr Kashif Kamboh, officers and civil society participated in the walk. The participants were carrying banners and placards. The DC said that polio workers deserve salute for playing a key role in the war against polio. War against polio is actually a war for the future of children, he added.
ANTI-POLIO DRIVE IN SIALKOT
Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Khurram Niazi on Monday said that during the five-day anti-polio campaign, 767,880 children under the age of five years would be vaccinated against the crippling disease.
He said that a total of 2,878 teams were formed to protect 7,67,880 children under five years of age from polio, out of which, 2676 mobile teams would go door-to-door to administer anti-polio drops to children in four tehsils, 133 fixed teams would go to dispensaries, primary and rural health centers and hospitals. At least 69 roaming teams would perform the national duty of providing polio vaccine to children at bus stands, important intersections and railway stations.
He said that 536 area in-charge, 129 UC officers will also perform duties, while the assistant commissioners at the tehsil level and the deputy commissioner at the district level would review the performance of the teams on a daily basis.
The deputy commissioner said that in 100 union councils of the district, 6,484 children of seasonal migrant families will be vaccinated on a priority basis. He said that special anti-polio campaign will continue from October 24 to 28.
ANTI-POLIO TRANSIT TEAMS ASKED TO ENSURE NO CHILD IS MISSED OUT
Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator, Khizer Afzaal Chaudhary called upon polio teams to remain vigilant and leave no child unvaccinated during the ongoing Sub-National Polio Immunization Days.
The head of the polio programme said this while talking to polio teams in Multan and Bahwalpur on Monday. During a meeting with the Multan health management team, the EOC coordinator called for focusing on polio eradication activities especially during the campaign days so that the quality of the campaign was not compromised.
Meanwhile, EOC coordinator paid a surprise visit to Victoria Hospital, nomadic settlements, railway station and the General Bus Stand in Bahawalpur. During his monitoring mission the EOC coordinator checked vaccines, administered drops, held discussion with polio teams about their challenges as well as technical issues and appreciated their performance. He issued on spot instructions to improve route and micro-plans so that the capacity of the polio teams was built adequately.
“Teams deployed at transit points need to be extra vigilant. There is high probability of children being missed during rush hours. The district needs to ensure that police personnel are adequately placed with the polio teams at transit sites”, he stressed. “In case of any issues with the deployment of policemen, the health department may contact the focal persons in the Home Department at district level and no compromise should be made in this regard,” he underscored.
