Polio drive: Vaccination campaign to target 1.25m children

As many as 1.25 million children up to five years of age will be vaccinated against polio in a campaign starting from Monday (March 24), District Coordination Officer (DCO) Noorul Amin Mengal said on Saturday.

Inaugurating the anti-polio drive at Railway Colony, Tariqabad the DCO said strict action would be taken against health teams and the area incharge(s) if any child was left out. “The anti-polio teams should be present at bus stands, markets, hospitals, dispensaries and the railway stations.” Mengal said the campaign would be monitored. “The performance of the polio teams will be evaluated daily,” he added.

The DCO sought assistance from religious leaders, parliamentarians and the civil society members. He said everyone should cooperate with the administration for a successful campaign.

Executive District Officer (Health) Waqar Sadiq said the polio teams had been properly trained. He said volunteers from industrial units, transport stands, NGOs and private hospitals would take part in the drive along with boy scouts.

District Officer (Health) Liaqat Ali and other Health Department officers were also present on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2014.