Immunisation campaign: Anti-polio drive hit by delays in 44 districts

Officials cite security concerns, by-elections, and flood as reasons.

ISLAMABAD:

The second round of National Immunisation Days (NIDs), targeting 1.5 million children, which was scheduled to begin on August 19 has been deferred for a week in 44 districts and towns owing to the by-elections, floods and torrential rains across the country.

A report compiled by the Polio Operation Room - a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune - reveals that the anti-polio drive which is to be held across 17 districts of Punjab, two districts of Islamabad, eight of Sindh, nine of K-P, six of Balochsitan and one district of Gilgit-Baltistan has been postponed for a week and is scheduled to begin on August 26.

The campaign was deferred due to by-elections in 29 districts. The drive was postponed in 13 districts owing to security concerns while floods and torrential rains became the reason for delay in two districts.



The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Frontier Region Peshawar could not start the campaign due to security threats. The ban on vaccination continues in the North and South Waziristan agencies where more than 260,000 children aged less than 5 years remain unimmunised since June 2012 for supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). The tribal agency indicates a huge immunity gap underscoring the risk of an impending outbreak in the region, according to the report.

In FR Peshawar the vaccination teams could not go to the area where an estimated 12,719 children are the target, because of insecurity. It is important to highlight that last three consecutive rounds in May, June and July were also missed in FR Peshawar for similar reasons.



The campaign targeting 3,151 children in Jani Khel, Hindi Khel and Sain Tanga area of Bannu has been postponed till further notice due to the volatile law and order situation. These areas may remain inaccessible for this round. Though the campaign is delayed for a week in Tank due to security concerns, it has been postponed in the Arwaza, Dabado and Manai areas of Kurram Agency for a day. The polio drive in these areas aims to immunise 1,895 children.

Meanwhile, in Diamer the anti-polio drive is postponed till further notice due to security concerns. Two union councils have delayed the drive due to heavy rains in Lower Dir.

The report further states that seven districts in Punjab – Bahawalnagar, Jhang, Kasur, Mianwali, Sargodha, Sheikhupura and Toba Tek Singh – where 330,421 children are the target, are reported to be inaccessible due to the floods.

The anti-polio drive which was due to begin on August 19 in Islamabad, Killa Abdullah in Balochsitan, DI Khan, Hangu, Lakki Marwat, Mardan, Nowshera, Peshawar, Swabi and Tank in the K-P was postponed due to by-elections there.

Around 15 districts including DG Khan, Faisalabad, Hafizabad, Khanewal, Lahore, Lodhran, MB Din, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Okara, Rajanpur, Rawalpindi, Rahim Yar Khan, Sargodha and Sialkot in the Punjab province also faced delays because of the by-elections. Meanwhile, the anti-polio drive in districts of Gujranwala and Narowal, targeting 1.0 million children, was deferred due to floods.

Talking to The Express Tribune, the National Coordinator for the prime minister’s Polio Cell Dr Altaf Bosan said that it is the season when the virus is contracted and therefore the cell has issued directives to all the provinces to complete the drive within two weeks.

He said Sindh and Punjab have already planned their activities.

Regarding immunising the children in the flood-hit area he added that in relief camps or elsewhere.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2013.