Immunisation drive: Five schools booked for hindering polio teams

"The day had been a great success despite the rain," says DCO Noorul Amin Mengal.

LAHORE:

Cases have been registered against the administrations of five private schools for not cooperating with the city government in a polio vaccination drive which was launched on Monday. Over 400,000 children under five were administered polio drops on the day.

DCO Noorul Amin Mengal, addressing a meeting at Town Hall, said that the polio vaccination teams had done their job. He said the day had been a great success despite the rain.

However, the Samanabad Town deputy district officer for health complained that the schools had not cooperated with the polio teams and the DCO directed officials to lodge cases against them under Section 186 (stopping a public servant from doing her duty) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The schools are The Educators, 102 A Block, Muslim Town; The Linderhoff School, 81 A Block, New Muslim Town; Al Barka School, 259 A Block, New Muslim Town; Cathedral School, Moon Market; and American Lycetuff, Gulshan Ravi. The DCO told the schools that they cooperate with polio vaccination teams.

EDO (Health) Dr Inamul Haq briefed the meeting. He said that more than 400,000 children had been vaccinated on Monday. The government aims to administer polio drops to 1.5 million children aged under five in the three-day campaign. WHO and Unicef representatives also attended the meeting.

The EDO and District Officer (Coordination) Sahibzadi Waseema Umair paid surprise visits to various areas in Lahore to check up on the polio teams during the day.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2012.