Child tests positive for polio in Lodhran

Five-day national eradication drive will kick off across province from Nov 20

LAHORE: Despite rigorous steps being taken by the health department to eradicate the crippling poliovirus in the province, a child tested positive for the ailment in Lodhran district, The Express Tribune learnt on Friday.

Punjab Emergency Operation Coordinator Dr Munir Ahmed told The Express Tribune that this polio case and consistent positive environment samples were a huge cause for concern. He added efforts would continue to eliminate the virus.



“A five-day national polio eradication drive will start across the province from November 20, (Monday). Around 18.5 million children under the age of five will be administered polio drops during the campaign.”

He added government employees would go door-to-door and set up tents at public places to immunise children in all 36 districts of Punjab as part of a major campaign, assisted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), to rid Pakistan of the virus. “Punjab has had no polio case in 2016, but in 2017, a child was tested positive for polio in Lodhran, this year.”

According to data, five polio cases have been reported in Pakistan this year from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Sindh and Balochistan.

Talking about further steps being taken by the health department, Dr Ahmed said the the provincial emergency operations centre formed over 44,000 teams, which will go door-to-door to vaccinate children. “The teams will also be deployed at major bus stands, inter-provincial borders, airports, railway stations and hospitals.”

In a press release, Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir said that the Punjab government wanted to build immunity for every child before the polio high-risk season starts in May next year. “Reaching and vaccinating every child is very important in ensure that not even one child suffers from this incurable disease.”



Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Ali Jan Khan said that the province would be implementing the campaign more aggressively in Rawalpindi, Lahore and South Punjab.

“A polio case in Lodhran and consistent positive environmental samples in Rawalpindi indicate that children are more vulnerable in these districts”, he said.

Last month, due to a strike by polio vaccinators and dengue workers, the campaign had to be called off and at least 0.6 million children in different districts of the province could not be immunised.

The dengue workers were demanding the regularisation of their jobs and went on a strike. According to them, the health department did not regularise their services even after they completed their required eight years.

The health department had already assured giving confirmation letters, but recent the strike made a dent in the anti-polio drive and the recent case of a polio affected child may signal the failure of the last campaign.

Parents may call on the helpline number 0800-99000 if polio teams do not visit their areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2017.