Journalists pledge to support eradication efforts

Recommend setting up a platform to share data during campaigns

MULTAN: Journalists belonging to different media organisations pledged to support polio eradication efforts of the government.

A workshop to sensitise media persons about the government efforts to end polio was organised by the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at a local hotel the other day.



While speaking on the occasion, Additional Director of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation and Emergency Operations Centre (EPIEOC) Abdul Jabbar apprised the participants about new beginnings, direction, strategies as well as action plans to eradicate polio in 2017-18.

Citing the National Emergency Action Plan for 2017-18, Jabbar said the polio programme had come a long way in which the virus no longer endangers children and families.

Explaining the challenges in Punjab, he said the high frequency of movement to and from the province poses great challenge to the children.

“To counter the challenge, we conducted a complete review of high-risk and mobile population strategy in Punjab,” he added.



He pointed out previously the focus remained on the delivery of vaccines at permanent transit points (PTPs). “This year the programme will ensure that vulnerable population like nomads, seasonal and economic migrants and agricultural migrant labourers are systematically mapped and incorporated in micro plans and vaccinated,” he pledged.

During the session, journalists recommended setting up a platform to rapidly share information as well as data generated during polio campaigns.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2017.