'Polio eradication efforts on track'

Minister says Expanded Program on Immunisation being restructured

LAHORE:

Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Wednesday that the anti-polio programme was part of the larger Expanded Program on Immunisation and efforts were underway to eradicate polio from the province.

In a meeting with a delegation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at her office, the health minister said the special focus was being laid on birth registration.

Present in the meeting were Additional Secretary Coordination Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Sundas Irshad, Technical Focal Person BMGF Dr Naeedm Majeed and Dr Zeina Ali Siam.

“The government is utilising all resources to eradicate polio. As per the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, we are endeavouring to make Punjab Polio free,” the health minister said.

Read Over seven million children immunised against polio

A central data repository has been developed to register Polio vaccination records of children. Overall 90% immunisation coverage has been achieved in the province.

“We will try our best to achieve 100% coverage during Polio NID. Polio eradication has emerged as a big challenge in Punjab. We are trying to restructure and scale up the Expanded Program on Immunization,” she said.

Dr Zeina Ali Siam from BMGF appreciated Punjab efforts for polio eradication and assured complete support from her organisation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 16^th, 2021.