Anti-polio campaign begins in 33 districts today
Over 2.4 million children less than five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops
PHOTO: REUTERS
QUETTA:
Anti-polio campaign will start from today in all the 33 districts of the province. All preparations have been completed for the three-day drive, Balochistan Coordinator of Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Rashid Razzaq said on Sunday.
The government and the Emergency Operation Centre Balochistan will commence the campaign in the province, in which more than 2.4 million children of less than five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops. During the campaign, vitamin-A drops will also be given to the children.
“All preparations have been made in this regard as at least 10,452 teams would be deployed to vaccinate children under the age of five,” Razzaq informed.
Further, approximately 8,752 mobile teams, 942 fixed and 605 transit teams have been deployed in the whole province to ensure provision of anti-polio drops and vaccines to all the children.
“We have also made strict security arrangements to prevent any unforeseen situation as the Balochistan Levies force, police and Frontier Corps’ (FC) personnel would be deployed to protect the polio workers,” said Razzaq, adding that religious scholars are also taking part in the campaign to persuade the parents who are reluctant to give anti-polio drops to their children.
“The efforts of our frontline workers are commendable in this regard, however, we have to strive even harder to stop this virus from circulating in order to save our children,” added Razzaq.
Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated the anti-polio campaign in Balochistan by administrating anti-polio drops to children in Quetta.
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party urged the masses to support the drive.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two endemic countries still having polio cases.
In the recent year, at least 7 polio cases were reported from Killa Abdullah, Jaffarabad, Quetta and Harnai districts of Balochistan and overall 101 polio cases were reported from all over Pakistan.
Last month, a four-day anti-polio campaign was launched in 13 districts of the province, including Quetta, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Sibi, Sohbat Pur, Dera Bugti, Loralai, Dukki, Harnai and Ziarat.
Earlier, on World Polio Day, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal also vowed to end the crippling virus from the province.
The chief minister said he was hopeful that the polio virus would be eradicated from Balochistan.
“The provincial government is using all the resources at its disposal to make this possible,” he added. “This crippling disease has been paralysing our children.”
The chief minister stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns about the importance of polio drops.
“Parents, clerics, teachers, all members of the civil society should come forward to thwart the negative propaganda against the polio vaccine,” Kamal urged.
Expressing his concern over the recent polio cases in Balochistan, Kamal said the virus could only be eliminated from the province with joint efforts.
“To save our future generations, there is a need for unity and parents should have their children administered polio drops during all campaigns”.
Kamal said the Balochistan government had allocated funds for anti-polio drives across the province.
According to a report, the number of cases in Balochistan in which parents refused to have their children vaccinated has exceeded 20,000.
Balochistan Finance Minister also stressed the need to have support from more global partners in dealing with polio and other diseases, including cancer and hepatitis that are affecting hundreds of people in the country annually.
He said the people of Pakistan laud the assistance from Bill Gates to eradicate polio from the country, adding that without the donors’ support the crippling virus cannot be wiped out from the soil.
“The Gates Foundation has released the first installment of rupees 1.08 billion dollars for Pakistan Polio Eradication Program which would be helpful in eradicating the virus from the country and the province that is greatly endangering the lives of our children,” Buledi said.
“Government of Balochistan with the support of donor organisations is utilising all resources to ensure provision of quality health facilities to the masses,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2019.
Anti-polio campaign will start from today in all the 33 districts of the province. All preparations have been completed for the three-day drive, Balochistan Coordinator of Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Rashid Razzaq said on Sunday.
The government and the Emergency Operation Centre Balochistan will commence the campaign in the province, in which more than 2.4 million children of less than five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops. During the campaign, vitamin-A drops will also be given to the children.
“All preparations have been made in this regard as at least 10,452 teams would be deployed to vaccinate children under the age of five,” Razzaq informed.
Further, approximately 8,752 mobile teams, 942 fixed and 605 transit teams have been deployed in the whole province to ensure provision of anti-polio drops and vaccines to all the children.
“We have also made strict security arrangements to prevent any unforeseen situation as the Balochistan Levies force, police and Frontier Corps’ (FC) personnel would be deployed to protect the polio workers,” said Razzaq, adding that religious scholars are also taking part in the campaign to persuade the parents who are reluctant to give anti-polio drops to their children.
“The efforts of our frontline workers are commendable in this regard, however, we have to strive even harder to stop this virus from circulating in order to save our children,” added Razzaq.
Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated the anti-polio campaign in Balochistan by administrating anti-polio drops to children in Quetta.
Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party urged the masses to support the drive.
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the two endemic countries still having polio cases.
In the recent year, at least 7 polio cases were reported from Killa Abdullah, Jaffarabad, Quetta and Harnai districts of Balochistan and overall 101 polio cases were reported from all over Pakistan.
Last month, a four-day anti-polio campaign was launched in 13 districts of the province, including Quetta, Pishin, Qilla Abdullah, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Sibi, Sohbat Pur, Dera Bugti, Loralai, Dukki, Harnai and Ziarat.
Earlier, on World Polio Day, Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal also vowed to end the crippling virus from the province.
The chief minister said he was hopeful that the polio virus would be eradicated from Balochistan.
“The provincial government is using all the resources at its disposal to make this possible,” he added. “This crippling disease has been paralysing our children.”
The chief minister stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns about the importance of polio drops.
“Parents, clerics, teachers, all members of the civil society should come forward to thwart the negative propaganda against the polio vaccine,” Kamal urged.
Expressing his concern over the recent polio cases in Balochistan, Kamal said the virus could only be eliminated from the province with joint efforts.
“To save our future generations, there is a need for unity and parents should have their children administered polio drops during all campaigns”.
Kamal said the Balochistan government had allocated funds for anti-polio drives across the province.
According to a report, the number of cases in Balochistan in which parents refused to have their children vaccinated has exceeded 20,000.
Balochistan Finance Minister also stressed the need to have support from more global partners in dealing with polio and other diseases, including cancer and hepatitis that are affecting hundreds of people in the country annually.
He said the people of Pakistan laud the assistance from Bill Gates to eradicate polio from the country, adding that without the donors’ support the crippling virus cannot be wiped out from the soil.
“The Gates Foundation has released the first installment of rupees 1.08 billion dollars for Pakistan Polio Eradication Program which would be helpful in eradicating the virus from the country and the province that is greatly endangering the lives of our children,” Buledi said.
“Government of Balochistan with the support of donor organisations is utilising all resources to ensure provision of quality health facilities to the masses,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 16th, 2019.