Polio workers undaunted by heat
A vaccinator administers polio vaccine to a child in a Karachi neighbourhood during the anti-polio drive, which kicked off on Monday. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Around 32,000 polio workers, including women, are set to embark on a vaccination campaign from Monday in five populous and border districts of Punjab amid sweltering weather.
However, the workers say they are determined to play their frontline role for the eradication of the virus despite the harsh weather conditions.
The Punjab Polio Programme has also engaged sports icons to support the polio workers in the mission.
While several organisations have revised their working hours in view of the heatwave gripping many areas of the province, the polio workers are gearing up to perform field duties during the vaccination campaign.
The authorities concerned have made preparations to roll out the 6th special polio eradication campaign of the year to counter an intensified risk of local transmission of poliovirus in the province.
The campaign will cover the Lahore, Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur, Lodhran and Muzaffargarh districts.
The target of the campaign is to vaccinate over 4.5 million children in the districts and the polio workers have already launched an awareness drive regarding its importance.
A polio worker, Asma Jabeen, said while speaking to The Express Tribune that she and her colleagues would face a more challenging task this time because of the extremely hot season and the coming campaign might be toughest of the year.
"This campaign is beginning at a time when hospitals are full of heat stroke patients, but we are committed to protecting the children from polio,” she said.
She said a large number of the polio workers were more than 50 years old and they deserved appreciation for their willingness to join the campaign despite the prevailing harsh weather.
However, the polio worker pointed out that an issue likely to be faced during the campaign might be that many children would be visiting their relatives in areas away from their homes in ten ongoing summer vacations and it would be hard to vaccinate them.
“Our aim is that no kid should be left without being administered polio drops and we also request the parents to cooperate with our teams in this regard and ensure the vaccination of their children even during travel,” she added.
Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khizer Afzaal said the campaign was being organsied to prevent poliovirus spread.
He said over 32,000 polio workers would participate in the campaign that would continue for a week in Lahore and Rawalpindi, while the period in the three other districts would be five days.
Khizer Afzaal outlined that Punjab was striving to prevent local transmission of poliovirus caused by the movement of high risk and mobile populations.
Punjab’s children will be at heightened risk if local transmission of virus is established, he said.
He resolved to ensure that environmental samples tested negative for the virus, saying that after previous successful campaigns, the virus had been driven off from Punjab. “With successful campaigns, all samples will be turned negative and children safeguarded,” he asserted.
The official expressed confidence in Punjab’s polio surveillance network, saying that it was capable to detect any poliovirus circulation, enabling the programme to launch timely campaign responses.
The Punjab Polio Programme head launched the polio eradication campaign at a ceremony in Lahore by administering vaccine drops to children.
He was joined by fast bowler Muhammad Ali and former Pakistan women cricket team captain Bismah Maroof.
On the occasion, Afzaal urged cricket stars as well as other sportspersons to join hands with the polio eradication programme for the cause.
“Reminding parents about their role in polio eradication is a job that can only be done by our national heroes,” he said.
Both cricketers administered drops to children, urging parents to cooperate with the polio teams.
“Pakistani cricketers stand with the polio teams in the fight against the virus. Parents must not lend ears to rumours and disinformation. Pakistan can defeat polio by vaccination in every anti-polio campaign and cooperating with the teams,” they said.