Risk persists of poliovirus spreading to Punjab

LAHORE:

Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz has directed the relevant officials of districts along inter-provincial boundaries to re-check their microplans for an anti-polio Special National Immunisation Days (SNID) campaign starting September 21 in the light of coordination meetings held with neighbouring districts and provinces.

Chairing a meeting, the official stressed the need for additional efforts to sustain the gains made against poliovirus and ensure that no gaps remain ahead of the campaign.

Issues including gaps in training quality and material in some districts were highlighted during the meeting. The district teams were directed to rectify the issues immediately and ensure 100 per cent compliance regarding reporting on the campaign dashboard.

The coordinator emphasised the importance of strong microplanning. He stressed that every possible effort must be made to identify and vaccinate children who may otherwise be missed during the campaign.

"Punjab has achieved a very encouraging situation, with environmental samples currently negative for poliovirus. However, sustaining this progress requires us to remain vigilant and close every operational gap," he said.

He said the presence of poliovirus in areas beyond Punjab's borders, including environmental detections and cases in neighbouring provinces, continued to pose a risk of reintroduction.

"Any persistent gap in our vaccination and surveillance efforts can create an opportunity for the virus to cross into Punjab. Our objective is to keep Punjab at zero, and this requires additional and sustained efforts," he said.

The EOC coordinator highlighted transit vaccination as a critical component of the upcoming campaign, particularly for reaching children travelling with mobile and migrant populations.