Crippling disease: Polio immunisation drive from Oct 7

Campaign to be conducted in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Muzaffargarh, DI Khan

LAHORE: A polio campaign will be held in seven districts of the province from October 7 to 9, Health Services Director General Zahid Pervaiz said on Tuesday.

The campaign will be conducted in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan.

“Even though we have not had any new polio case since December 2014, Punjab faces a challenge of viral transmission from the reservoir areas of other provinces through inter-provincial movement of migrant population,” Pervaiz said.

Expanded Programme on Immunisation Director Munir Ahmad said that campaigns in selected union councils had already been conducted in the seven districts.

“In our bid to ensure that the province remains polio free, seven districts featuring high on various risk factors have been selected for the campaign,” said Ahmad. He said that districts sharing borders and strategic routes with other provinces, especially Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Rahim Yar Khan, would remain under special focus. “Instructions have been passed to the teams to ensure complete coverage. Special Transit Points have been set up on bordering districts with other provinces,” he said.

“A detailed progress review on campaign preparations will be undertaken with the districts,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2015.