Crippling virus: Polio vaccination campaign starts in K-P today

Three polio cases reported from tribal districts this year

PESHAWAR: Three days oral polio vaccination (OPV) campaign is starting in the tribal districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) from today.

The anti-polio campaign will continue from Monday December 10, 2018 to Wednesday December 12, 2018, under the supervision and security provided by district health officers, deputy commissioners, and security forces, which will be followed by the catch up of missed children and surveillance.

A total of 892,471 children, below the age of five years, will be vaccinated with oral polio vaccination in seven tribal districts by 4,058 teams, comprising  3,741 mobile teams, 222 fixed teams and 95 transit teams.

This year three polio cases were reported from tribal districts: two cases from Bajaur and one polio case from Khyber district. Due to timely vaccination during campaigns all three children were saved from paralysis. Experts termed transmission of polio virus from one area to another as reason for these cases and emphasised the need for stopping transmission of polio virus.

K-P Tribal Districts Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator Kamran Ahmed Afridi said that children on the move should be especially focused for polio vaccination as traveling families could become a source of transmitting and spreading polio virus and affecting children at the destination.

He directed transit teams to be vigilant in polio reservoir areas especially the teams located on inter district, inter provincial and international borders. He said polio virus is still in circulation and directed to ensure vaccination of every child who moves to and from tribal districts.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2018.