Anti-polio drive kicks off in Abbottabad district

236,926 children in 54 union councils to get vaccinated

ABBOTTABAD:

A comprehensive vaccination campaign on Friday has been initiated in Abbottabad district from January 8 to 12 to eradicate polio virus.

Abbottabad Deputy Commissioner Khalid Iqbal inaugurated the campaign, emphasising the critical importance of administering polio drops to children under the age of 5.

A total of 236,926 children in the 54 union councils across the district are set to receive polio drops during this campaign.

Iqbal directed the health department to ensure the vaccination of all children and underscored the necessity of finger marking during the campaign.

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Additionally, he issued directives to provide facilities to health teams and guarantee complete security by involving the police in the polio eradication efforts.

The five-day campaign aims to target over 236,926 children under the age of 5 across the district.

A total of 1,594 teams have been formed, and the deputy commissioner has taken necessary measures to ensure the success of the campaign, providing clear instructions to the health department.

Emphasising the need for collaboration, Iqbal urged all departments and revenue magistrates to supervise teams and vaccination activities in their respective areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2024.