Plan finalised for week-long polio drive

10.5m children likely to be vaccinated against crippling disease

RAWALPINDI:

After all November environmental samples came negative for poliovirus confirmation in the Rawalpindi district, a coordinated surveillance plan has been set up for an anti-polio campaign from December 16 to 22 with the cooperation of the District Health Management Team, partner World Health Organisation (WHO) and other institutions.

In the seven-day anti-polio campaign, 10.5 million children will be vaccinated against polio.

The environmental samples of poliovirus have come positive in 19 districts of Punjab, while in the Rawalpindi district, the environmental samples of December have been sent for analysis after all the environmental samples of November came negative.

The Rawalpindi district achieved 99% coverage during the October 2024 national anti-polio campaign, crediting the Rawalpindi district's outstanding performance to frontline workers and all stakeholders.

The new anti-polio campaign is now being launched from December 16 to 22 across Punjab including Rawalpindi district. In this regard, a meeting was chaired by Deputy Commissioner Hassan Waqar Cheema regarding the preparations of the Anti-Polio Emergency Operation Center. The meeting was attended by the District Health Management Team and representatives of other partner organisations including WHO. The December 2024 campaign will begin on December 16.

During this campaign, a target of 1,057,756 children has been set for polio vaccination in the Rawalpindi district. A coordinated monitoring plan has been drawn up with the support of the District Health Management Team and partner institutions for the successful conduct of this campaign.

The Chief Executive of the District Health Authority, Dr Asif Arbab Niazi says all arrangements have been completed for the anti-polio campaign.

He adds that these measures reflect the commitment to complete eradication of polio and requested the public to do their responsibility and cooperate with the teams to administer polio vaccine to their children under five years of age.

On the other hand, in the seven-day anti-polio campaign, more focus will be made on the entry points of the Rawalpindi district and densely populated areas, so that children up to five years of age, who come with families coming from outside the city, can be administered polio drops.