Polio vaccination: 1,441 teams immunise 258,445 children

Children missed during campaign to be immunised later.

GUJRANWALA:

As many as 1,441 Health Department teams immunised 258,445 children against polio on the last day of the polio prevention campaign on Wednesday.

The teams went door to door and prepared lists of children who could not be immunised because they were away. These children will be immunized at the end of the campaign.

In addition to this, 74 teams were formed to immunise children who were travelling. These teams were deputed at entrances to the city, including railway stations, bus stands and toll plazas.

Mobile teams were also deployed in Cantonment, Klaske, Kot Qadir Bakhsh, Kot Jehangor, Bhooma Baath, Kot Bhawani Das, Hegar, Bheri Shah Rehman, Jalhn, Kot Ladha, Nokhar and Chehal Kalan.

Executive District Officer (EDO) Dr Azhar Masood visited the area on Wednesday to check performance of these teams.

He was accompanied by the Health district officer, deputy district officers and town supervisors.

He directed the supervisors to ensure that the in staff performed their duties properly and remained in the field till the designated time.

He said town supervisors would be responsible in case of any negligence or any unpleasantness.

He asked parents of the young children to cooperate with the immunisation teams and help them create awareness about the importance of the polio vaccine.

Later, the EDO held a meeting with the supervisory staff of Aroop Town, Khayali Town, Nandipur Town and Qila Deedar Singh to discuss problems faced by the teams in these areas.

The EDO directed the officials to prepare a report on the feasibility of immunising children who were missed during the campaign.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2012.