EOC meeting: Officials gear up efforts to eradicate polio from southern districts

Reiterate commitment to ensure every child under five is inoculated

PESHAWAR: After a polio case surfaced earlier this week from Bannu, the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) in the province decided to gear up and improve the existing system. It planned to enhance the system of polio vaccination and ensure every child below the age of five years was reached and inoculated.

This was said at a meeting held at EOC on Friday.

Officials privy to developments at the moot said steps taken by the government and partner organisations to eradicate poliovirus were discussed in detail. They added southern districts, specifically Bannu, were given special focus since three cases of the crippling virus have surfaced in the region this year so far.

While assessing the vaccination campaign to improve the entire process, a senior health official said participants at the moot decided to ensure each and every child under the age of five was accessed in the upcoming campaigns so the virus could be eradicated from southern areas.

A large number of participants said it was necessary to maintain a cold chain in these areas since the southern region has a hotter climate.

They added vaccines need to be kept in a narrow temperature range from the point of manufacture to their use in an immunisation session. This process is called the cold chain which is essential for vaccine supply chains. According to Unicef data, stronger supply chain systems will help more children get immunised.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2016.