IPV campaign against virus to target high-risk areas

Teams being trained to administer injectable vaccine

PESHAWAR: In an attempt to boost immunity of children against poliovirus, the K-P’s Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is collaborating with the provincial health department to hold an Inactivated Polio Vaccination (IPV) campaign in high-risk union councils.

The campaign will be carried out across 54 high-risk union councils of Peshawar district, an EOC official confirmed. He added the decision was taken during a meeting held at the provincial capital on Monday.

“At least 493 teams comprising 1,902 workers and volunteers have been constituted to vaccinate the aimed population,” the official told The Express Tribune, requesting anonymity as he was not authorised to talk to the media.



The official, who was privy to what happened at the meeting, quoted EOC Coordinator Akbar Khan as saying children within the age group of four and 23 months will be vaccinated in the IPV campaign. The teams will be trained by March 31 to administer the injectable vaccine.

The official stated comprehensive plans for social mobilisation, monitoring and trainings have been devised for the campaign.  “Trainings of the teams is under way and material such as pamphlets and fliers for social mobilisation have been printed. They will be displayed before the campaign commences,” he said.

“Parents must come forward and vaccinate their children or take them to nearby IPV outreach points in their neighbourhoods,” the official quoted Akbar.

Technical experts say at least 95% of the target needs to be achieved to consider the campaign successful. Besides Akbar, the meeting was also attended by EPI Assistant Director Dr Akram Shah, Dr Rahim Khattak, and UNICEF’s polio team leader Dr Johar, among others.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th,  2016.