Refusing polio-vaccination a crime
PHOTO: FILE
The Rawalpindi district administration has decided to register cases against parents who do not vaccinate their children against polio under sections 269 and 270 of the Pakistan Penal Code for deliberately spreading dangerous disease and arrest them. The five-day anti-polio campaign kicked off in the entire district of Rawalpindi on Monday to cover more than 875,000 children below five years age. District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer(CEO) Dr Sohail Chaudary said that around 3,000 polio vaccination teams, 270 health centres, allied hospitals and tehsil headquarter hospitals are participating in the drive. The CEO said that Standard operating procedures (SOPs)regarding COVID-19 were being followed to ensure the safety of polio teams during the drive. He said polio drops were also being administered at transit points to ensure that all children be immunized below five years age. He said that Deputy Commissioner Anwar Ul Haq inaugurated the campaign by administering anti-polio drops to a child at Basic health Unit Hayal Sharif while Punjab EPI Director Dr Bashir Ahmed Sidique administered the drops at Cantonment General Hospital.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2020.