The environmental samples of two consecutive months have tested positive for poliovirus in Rawalpindi, ringing alarm bells in the health department.
After sensing the risk of an increase in cases of the crippling disease which affects children under the age of five, the health department has created a ‘fool-proof’ strategy to administer polio drops to children arriving in the city from outside. The five-day anti-polio campaign will begin on October 24.
Sources said the presence of poliovirus in the environmental samples, collected in July and August from two locations of Nullah Lei, has alerted the health department while the sample of September has been sent to the laboratory.
It is worth noting that so far 16 cases of polio have been reported from North Waziristan, two from Lakki Marwat and one from South Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A plan has been prepared to administer polio drops to 948,312 children and infants between the ages of one to five years in the Rawalpindi district.
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It has already been determined that 36 union councils in Rawalpindi are at high risk of contracting poliovirus, including which Dhok Rata, Rata Amaral, Hazara Colony, Dhok Mingtal, Dhoke Hassu, Fauji Colony, Awan Colony, Bangash Colony, Khayban-e-Sir Syed Awan Chowk, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed Sector 3, Naseerabad in Dhok Dalal Cantt, Qasimabad, British Homes, Hafizabad, Sultanabad, Westridge, Habib Colony, Salmanabad, Aliabad, Saddar, Gawalmandi, Barf Khana Chowk, Dhok Syedan, Dhok Chaudharyan, Afshan Colony, Chohar Chowk, Mohalla Zamindar, Azam Colony, Dhok Teqsseem, Saham Road, Afsar Colony, Dhok Gujran, Rural areas Gurja, Chak Jalal Din, Baga Sheikhan, Bajanyal, areas of Taxila Jalala, Sarai Kala, Wahh, Mohra Shah Wali, Gadi Sikandar and Usman Khattar.
Teams have been formed to administer the polio drops to children up to the age of five in these areas. These teams include 243 union council MO, 860 AIC, 3,969 mobile teams, 320 fixed teams, and 182 transit teams.
Chief Executive District Health Authority Dr Ansar Ishaq said, "It is our responsibility to save children from polio. Polio vaccinations provide children with protection against the disease and long-term health.
The campaign to safeguard children against polio will be carried out comprehensively,” he said and added that the teams will also be available to administer polio drops to children arriving at the train stations from outside the cities as part of the ongoing campaign to safeguard children against the poliovirus.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 5th, 2022.
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