Polio vaccination drive to start next week

SAPM on health says 40 million children will be vaccinated

ISLAMABAD:

Around 40 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated during the five-day anti-polio campaign starting March 29, said Special Assistant to PM on Health Dr Faisal Sultan at the launch of the National Anti-Polio Campaign in Islamabad on Friday.

Frontline workers will go door-to-door to make the campaign a success, he said addressing the media.

According to a statement from the National Emergency Operations Centre Islamabad, 285,000 frontline workers in 156 districts across the country will take part in the campaign under Covid-19 SOPs.

According to the statement, Dr Faisal Sultan said: "Controlling the pandemic is a huge challenge. However, despite the difficult situations, the provision of health care is the top priority of the government."

He said the government was working to eradicate preventable diseases, including polio, to boost children's immunity. "The campaign aims to raise the immunity of children that remain at risk of the crippling disease,"

Dr Faisal said while addressing the media. He said that the pandemic remains a challenge, “but we are committed to ensuring continuity of the essential public health services during these difficult times." He added it was an absolute must that all eligible children age should stay protected against vaccine-preventable diseases including polio.

Dr Faisal said that it was every Pakistani's national duty to ensure that their children, as well as those around, were administered polio vaccine without fail.

He said the year 2021 presented a unique opportunity to leverage the gains made in 2020, despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

The SAPM said with the cooperation of the public, community leaders, parents and committed frontline workers the programme has successfully and safely implemented six campaigns in 2020.