Immunisation: Anti-polio drive kicks off in AJK

MIRPUR: A three-day anti-polio campaign got underway in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Monday with the aim of vaccinating over 0.7 million children under five in the valley.

AJK health service officials said that over 2,300 mobile paramedical teams have been formed to would go door-to-door to administer drops to children. Furthermore, 340 fixed units and 129 transit points at prominent public places including buses and wagons stands have been set up in all ten districts of AJK including Mirpur,  Muzaffarabad, Jhelum valley, Neelam valley,  Kotli, Bagh, Sudhanoti, Haveili, Bhimbher and Rawalakot to administer the vaccine.



The fixed centres would be set up at hospitals, basic health units, rural health centres, and various other spots.

Moreover, 89 zonal supervisors will look after the campaign being conducted by 208 in-charges in different areas.

Meanwhile, while launching the drive in Mirpur, District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Asghar Chaudhry said no case of polio had emerged in any part of the valley over the past decade. He added that Mirpur district had a population of 438,319 people, of which 73,551 were children
under five.

“The district has been divided into four zones with each zone being assigned to a supervisor to implement the drive,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2016.