'Polio-free Punjab needs a united effort'

The Punjab CM's Focal Person for Polio Uzma Kardar has said that a continued partnership among the government, parents, frontline health workers and international partners was essential to achieving the goal of eradication of the virus.

"The support of our international partners is extremely important in our collective efforts to end polio and protect every child," she added at the inauguration of a special vaccination campaign in 13 districts of the province to protect them against poliovirus and prevent its reintroduction.

The campaign was inaugurated at the Nawaz Sharif Centre for Excellence, with the participation of international partners and representatives of the Girls Guides, teachers and young leaders.

"There is no room for complacency or negligence in the fight against polio. Every eligible child must receive the full protection offered by vaccination," the focal person said.

She urged parents to ensure that all children under five receive polio drops during every campaign.

Punjab Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khalid Parvaiz said directions had been issued to ensure effective monitoring and coverage during the campaign.

"Given the risk of poliovirus reintroduction, no child should be missed during the campaign. Reaching children in hard to reach areas, mobile populations and those who may have been missed is our priority," he said.

He said particular attention was being given to microplanning, training, field team performance and monitoring to ensure that every campaign was implemented effectively.

"Keeping Punjab free of poliovirus requires every campaign to be fully effective. Vaccinating every eligible child, strong surveillance and a rapid response are essential to sustaining progress against polio," he said.

He reiterated that polio eradication was a shared national responsibility and called for continued cooperation among communities, parents, health workers, government institutions and partners to ensure that every child was protected from polio.

The campaign that began on Monday will continue till September 27 in Lahore, while the duration varies in other districts. Polio teams will visit homes to vaccinate children under five, with particular focus on hard to reach communities, mobile populations and children who may have been missed earlier.

Polio vaccination teams will visit households to administer vaccine drops to children, while fixed and transit teams will also perform duties at health centres, bus terminals, railway stations and other important locations. Mobile, fixed and transit teams have been constituted for the campaign, while area in-charges and monitoring officers at the union council level will supervise the campaign. Special arrangements have been made for effective monitoring of polio teams, verification of vaccination coverage and reaching children who may have been missed. Particular attention will be given to high-risk areas, nomadic settlements and children who have received no dose of polio vaccine, ensuring that no child is left without vaccination.

Instructions have been issued to maintain effective field monitoring to achieve the assigned target.

With additional input from APP