‘Vaccine refusal is no option’

DC orders administering polio drops at city’s entry points

RAWALPINDI:

Bring down the number of polio vaccination refusal cases, Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Anwarul Haq said talking to the vaccinators at the launch of the five-day anti-polio campaign on Monday.

District authorities plan to administer oral polio vaccine to more than 885,000 children below five years of age in Rawalpindi where the campaign started yesterday as in the rest of the country.

Haq inaugurated the drive by administering drops to children at the District Health Authority office. Speaking on the occasion, the DC directed officials concerned to set up check posts at entry points of the city in order to vaccinate every child coming from outside.

He said that anti-polio drive would not be compromised despite the prevailing Covid-19 situation and directed the officials to bring down the refusal and non-attended polio cases to the possible lowest level.

Anwar said that polio was a national issue and it was the responsibility of all to play an effective role to make the country polio-free. The DC advised parents to come forward and play their role to ensure vaccination of their children to eliminate the disease.

On the occasion, District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer Dr Faiza Kanwal briefed that around 2,964 polio teams including, 307 fixed points, 129 transit points, 240 Union council medical officers, and 663 area charges are participating in the drive to make the campaign a success.

She said staff deployed for the campaign have been instructed that no negligence in this regard would be tolerated. During the campaign, in-charge anti-polio drive Chaudary Muhammad Hussain informed that over 280,000 children have so far administered the polio vaccine on the first day while the set target to cover 885,000 children would be achieved by April 2.Dr Faiza said the anti-polio drive would not be compromised despite prevailing Covid-19 situation and SOP's regarding Covid-19 would be implemented in letter and spirit to ensure safety during the drive while wearing of face masks and use of sanitiser would also be mandatory for polio teams.

The CEO said as the environmental samples in Rawalpindi have tested positive for poliovirus for the last one year there is a need to take more effective steps to make the district free from poliovirus. She said polio was a national issue and it is the responsibility of all to play an effective role to make the country polio-free. "The parents should cooperate with special teams so that the set target could be achieved," she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2021.