Fighting the virus: Polio teams to use injections instead of drops after Eid
Provincial govt certain that the pilot project will bring about a positive change.
KARACHI:
After more than 166 polio cases surfaced in the country - 14 of them from Sindh, the provincial government has decided to make a tactical change in their approach towards immunisation.
Instead of using the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) which was administered through drops, they are going to introduce the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) which is administered through an injection, in eight of the city's high-risk areas after Eidul Azha for a week.
This was decided at a meeting chaired by Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed on Monday. Representatives of the World Health Organisation, Unicef and the Rotary Club were present, along with the provincial chairperson for the polio committee, Dr Azra Pechuho, health director-general Dr Hafeez Memon, and the project director of the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Dr Mazhar Khamisani.
The provincial government is certain that the pilot project will bring about a positive change and help fight the polio virus.
What is the IPV
The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, was developed in 1955 by Dr Jonas Salk. Also called the "Salk vaccine", it consists of inactivated (killed) poliovirus strains of all three poliovirus types. It is administered through an injection.
The IVP produces antibodies in the blood to all three types of poliovirus. In the event of infection, these antibodies prevent the spread of the virus to the central nervous system and protect against paralysis.
"The anti-polio drive will start after Eidul Azha," said Dr Ahmed. "All arrangements discussed in the meeting will be carried out so an effective anti-polio drive can be launched." The drive, Ahmed added, will be inaugurated by the chief minister of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah.
When families say no
The health department claimed that the routine immunisation across the province was poor despite several anti-polio drives being held in the last couple of months. Dr Ahmed said that routine immunisation in urban areas was 51.5 per cent while in rural areas it was just 13 per cent. "This is not a good sign," he said. The provincial minister added that performances of the district health officials should be evaluated on measures taken for the immunisation. He also said that officials' transfers and promotions would be considered on their performance.
It was also decided, at the meeting, that a public awareness campaign will be initiated in high-risk areas so the rate of refusals could go down.
Dr Pechuho said that 14 polio cases had been confirmed in Sindh so far, out of which 13 were in Karachi. She added that 80 per cent of the cases had surfaced in eight high-risk areas of the city.
Technical training
Despite the fact that the polio workers prefer to keep a distance from highly sensitive areas and the rate of refusals is high in these eight UCs, the provincial government is planning to launch a very technical drive which requires a trained team.
Health officials, however, claim that they will manage and the drive will be effective. "It will be very effective," said Dr Durre Naz Jamal, EPI's deputy project director for Sindh. "The provincial government will include the IPV in its programme next year."
Upcoming polio drive
The deputy commissioner Central, Dr Saifur Rehman, also chaired a meeting with health and law enforcing officials at his office. He claimed that there were 12 high-risksUCs in district Central and the family refusal ratio was 2:7. He added that the three-day campaign which is part of the National Immunisation Day will start next week.
They are focusing on children under the age of five in district Central which means approximately 307,842 children. At the meeting, they were told that 1,150 teams will take part in the drive.
"All security arrangements have been made and polio teams will be given complete security," Dr Rehman told The Express Tribune. He urged parents to cooperate with polio workers.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2014.
After more than 166 polio cases surfaced in the country - 14 of them from Sindh, the provincial government has decided to make a tactical change in their approach towards immunisation.
Instead of using the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) which was administered through drops, they are going to introduce the Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) which is administered through an injection, in eight of the city's high-risk areas after Eidul Azha for a week.
This was decided at a meeting chaired by Sindh Health Minister Dr Sagheer Ahmed on Monday. Representatives of the World Health Organisation, Unicef and the Rotary Club were present, along with the provincial chairperson for the polio committee, Dr Azra Pechuho, health director-general Dr Hafeez Memon, and the project director of the Extended Programme on Immunisation (EPI), Dr Mazhar Khamisani.
The provincial government is certain that the pilot project will bring about a positive change and help fight the polio virus.
What is the IPV
The inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), according to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, was developed in 1955 by Dr Jonas Salk. Also called the "Salk vaccine", it consists of inactivated (killed) poliovirus strains of all three poliovirus types. It is administered through an injection.
The IVP produces antibodies in the blood to all three types of poliovirus. In the event of infection, these antibodies prevent the spread of the virus to the central nervous system and protect against paralysis.
"The anti-polio drive will start after Eidul Azha," said Dr Ahmed. "All arrangements discussed in the meeting will be carried out so an effective anti-polio drive can be launched." The drive, Ahmed added, will be inaugurated by the chief minister of Sindh, Qaim Ali Shah.
When families say no
The health department claimed that the routine immunisation across the province was poor despite several anti-polio drives being held in the last couple of months. Dr Ahmed said that routine immunisation in urban areas was 51.5 per cent while in rural areas it was just 13 per cent. "This is not a good sign," he said. The provincial minister added that performances of the district health officials should be evaluated on measures taken for the immunisation. He also said that officials' transfers and promotions would be considered on their performance.
It was also decided, at the meeting, that a public awareness campaign will be initiated in high-risk areas so the rate of refusals could go down.
Dr Pechuho said that 14 polio cases had been confirmed in Sindh so far, out of which 13 were in Karachi. She added that 80 per cent of the cases had surfaced in eight high-risk areas of the city.
Technical training
Despite the fact that the polio workers prefer to keep a distance from highly sensitive areas and the rate of refusals is high in these eight UCs, the provincial government is planning to launch a very technical drive which requires a trained team.
Health officials, however, claim that they will manage and the drive will be effective. "It will be very effective," said Dr Durre Naz Jamal, EPI's deputy project director for Sindh. "The provincial government will include the IPV in its programme next year."
Upcoming polio drive
The deputy commissioner Central, Dr Saifur Rehman, also chaired a meeting with health and law enforcing officials at his office. He claimed that there were 12 high-risksUCs in district Central and the family refusal ratio was 2:7. He added that the three-day campaign which is part of the National Immunisation Day will start next week.
They are focusing on children under the age of five in district Central which means approximately 307,842 children. At the meeting, they were told that 1,150 teams will take part in the drive.
"All security arrangements have been made and polio teams will be given complete security," Dr Rehman told The Express Tribune. He urged parents to cooperate with polio workers.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 23rd, 2014.