Polio workers to get security cover

Seven-day anti-polio drive to conclude on January 14

RAWALPINDI:

The District Health Authority (DHA) has acquired the services of the police department to provide security to polio workers so that they accompany them in sensitive areas to administer drops to children during the seven-day anti-polio drive.

The entry points to Rawalpindi have been focused on the anti-polio campaign, in which the children from other districts will be administered polio drops at the entrance points of Rawalpindi.

According to the details, the anti-polio campaign started on January 8 and will continue till January 14. Approximately, 1,015,262 children under the age of five years will be administered the polio vaccine in Gujar Khan, Kahuta, Kallar Syedan, Kotli Sattian, Murree, Taxila, Rawalpindi Cantt and Rawalpindi City.

To implement the anti-polio campaign plan, 3,675 mobile teams, 330 fixed centres, 163 transit centres, and 245 UC MOs will participate in the anti-polio drive.

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Religious scholars have been involved in the drive to persuade parents to administer polio drops to their children in the Pakhtun communities to make the campaign successful. DHA Chief Executive Dr Ijaz Ahmed said that the drive has yielded positive results so far, however, in the city and cantonment areas where there is a fear of interfering with the work of the polio teams, security personnel have been deployed at the desired locations.

Dr Ahmed said that during the anti-polio campaign, the focus is on administering polio vaccine to children whose families are coming from other cities. While at home, the guest children are also being administered anti-polio drops.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 11^th, 2024.