‘Vaccination targets not achieved due to lack of information’

DCO says strict action will be taken against negligent staff

BAHAWALPUR: The intended targets for the polio campaigns in Bahawalpur could not be achieved due to lack of information despite cooperation of the health department.  In order to attain 100% targets, complete information regarding formulation of plans and decisions should be provided to the district administration.

Rahim Yar Khan DCO Muhammad Zafar Iqbal said this on Sunday while addressing a meeting on polio drive that will commence on November 27.

He said for the purpose, a comprehensive plan should be devised while negligence would not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against negligent staff. He added all assistant commissioners in tehsils should prepare a data in which details of gypsy families along with their children under the age of five should be stated.

The DCO directed the officials to monitor training workshops being conducted by the health department.



He said for attaining 100% targets, officials from other departments should also be given responsibilities. Meanwhile, Health EDO Dr Makhdoom Basharat Hussain told the meeting that as part of the polio campaign arrangements, training of staff and workshops had started. He said 839,189 children under the age of five would be administered polio vaccines in the district. He said 1,743 mobile units, 223 fixed teams and 146 teams on transit points would perform duties.

Earlier in September, a routine polio immunisation campaign kicked off in different districts of the province. The provincial government constituted various teams to administer polio vaccine to children door-to -door. The district administrations provided security to the polio teams.

Earlier in September, a three-day polio drive was also inaugurated in Bahawalpur. During the drive, at least 590,000 children were administered polio vaccines.

Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Principal Prof Dr Ajlal Haider Rizvi inaugurated the campaign at the OPD of Bahawal Victoria Hospital. About 1,344 teams participated in the drive to administer polio drops in five tehsils of the district.

Similarly, in Multan, the polio drive was inaugurated by DCO Nadir Chatta as he administered polio drops to his daughter.

At least 1,730 mobile teams were formed to take part in the campaign, while another 143 teams were available round-the-clock at railway stations and bus stands.

The health department had constituted 2,068 teams comprising lady health workers and officers of other government departments to vaccinate 811,411 children.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 14^th, 2016.