EOC highlights shortcomings of polio drive

Need for improving micro-plans quality for next campaign stressed

LAHORE:

Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator (EOC) Syedah Ramallah Ali has called upon Lahore district to focus on improving micro-plans quality ahead of the next polio immunisation campaign.

The EOC coordinator was speaking during a meeting with Lahore District Health Management Team at the office of the Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali.

The DC and the Additional DC Nazia Mohal were also present in the meeting along with Lahore District Health Officer. Polio eradication partners also participated.

“There is an urgent need to improve the quality of the micro-plan of the district and ensure its implementation in letter and spirit,” urged the coordinator.

“Allama Iqbal Town needs to be focused on. The district needs to pay special attention to the town so that its performance is improved,” observed Ramallah.

After the meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner Nazia Mohal was assigned to work with the Allama Iqbal Town team to find ways to improve its performance.

During the meeting, the EOC coordinator stressed on using carrot and stick policy to ensure best outcomes during the polio eradication campaigns.

“Services of high performing polio workers need to be acknowledged. While those not performing up to the mark need to be held accountable,” she said.

Later in the day, the EOC coordinator met with a delegation of Rotary International’s Polio Plus Committee and apprised the delegates about status of containers placed at the transit points. The meeting was organized on the request of Pakistan National Polio Plus committee.

The Rotary participants included Asher Ali, project manager Rotary International’s Polio Plus committee, PDG Saeed Shamsi and Faheem Shamsi, member Polio Plus committee.

Ramallah thanked Rotary for their generous support in polio eradication especially for transit points containers and polio teams’ vaccine carriers.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2022.