Anti-polio campaign at bus, railway stations ordered

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah has directed all district administrations to ensure effective arrangements for administering polio drops to children under five at bus terminals, railway stations, transit points and entry and exit routes across the province.

He stressed the need to ensure that polio teams could reach children from migrating families and those travelling with their parents, so that no child was missed during the vaccination campaigns.

The chief secretary directed the relevant agencies to ensure coordination to identify and vaccinate children who often remain inaccessible to polio teams because of frequent travel, migration or temporary stays.

He instructed deputy commissioners to personally monitor the presence and performance of polio teams at transit points in their respective districts and ensure their access to travelling children.

Taking into account bus and train schedules, vaccination teams should be deployed accordingly so that children travelling early in the morning, late at night and during other busy hours could also receive polio drops.

Asif Haider Shah also directed the transport authorities, railway administration and district administrations to strengthen coordination for vaccinating children on the move and provide all necessary assistance to polio teams at bus terminals and railway stations.

He also directed authorities to ensure that polio teams reach temporary settlements and communities of migrant families.