Spreading awareness about polio vaccination is as important as administrating the oral polio vaccine (OPV), said Member Provincial Assembly Abida Raja on Sunday.
Activities related to poliovirus control, especially awareness drives, are need of hour and role of media in spreading the word is very crucial, MPA Raja said during media workshop organised by Unicef in collaboration with District Health Office and Rawalpindi district administration public relations department.
She said that these activities are not only aimed to renew our pledge to work with more dedication but also to pay tribute to polio vaccinators who are frontline workers in the war against the crippling disease.
“Although there are few cases of polio in Pakistan, it still stands among two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have not been declared polio-free yet. However with strong commitment we will very soon be able to call our country Polio Free zone,” she vowed.
District Health Officer Dr Ehsan Ghani, Insaaf Youth Wing In-charge Nisar Khan, Allama Mehmoodul Hassan and community leaders attended the session besides media workers.
Dr Ghani said that Rawalpindi has remained polio-free for the last 10 years due to coordinated efforts of all government departments.
He said that anti-polio campaigns have been launched in the district frequently under strict monitoring. The government is also launching awareness campaigns to address the reservations of people and myths attached with oral polio vaccine.
He said that it is not just for one organisation and institution to undertake the task rather it is now responsibility of everyone in the country to play its active part to eradicate poliovirus from the country.
The DHO further added that provision of healthy environment to people is their main priority however coordinated efforts of both government departments and community are needed to make the region polio-free.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2020.
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