Public health: Anti-polio campaign begins today

LAHORE: Health Department Spokesperson Ikhlaq Ali Khan said on Sunday that a three-day anti-polio campaign would commence on Monday. He said that 40,000 teams had been tasked with administering polio drops to more than 18 million children under the campaign. Khan said that the teams would be posted at permanent locations and public places, including railway stations, airports and thoroughfares to inoculate children. He said that similar measures had been taken to ensure the provision of the service at government hospitals and health centres. The spokesperson said that the greatest number of anti-polio drives were organised in winter. He said that this was done in accordance with the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the transmission rate in the season tended to be low.  Ikhlaq said that campaigns conducted in the season were much more effective than those held in summer.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2015.