Another anti-polio campaign: Focus on mega cities for polio eradication

LAHORE: Health Services Director General Dr Munir Ahmed has said that, on the direction of health minister, the department has decided to start this year’s 2nd anti-polio campaign this month.

In a statement, he said that, although Punjab has not a single case of polio so far, yet he confirmed the positive results of environmental samples taken from sewerage water of an area of Faisalabad. He stated that health department every month collects environmental samples as a routine practice. He clarified that as per the WHO survey conducted after confirmation of polio virus in Faisalabad, the data in the last three rounds of supplementary immunisation campaigns from drainage areas indicated coverage of 99 percent children. The remaining missed children; however, pose a risk for themselves, as well as other children around them.

Dr Munir Ahmed said that the government was focusing on the mega cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, DG Khan and Faisalabad where the virus is tested positive in the sewerage water. He said that the virus appears to have travelled to these districts along with population from the neighboring provinces who very frequently travel to Punjab and shed the virus here. Parents residing in those areas; therefore, need to get their children vaccinated”, the DG health stressed. It is worth mentioning that Punjab has reported zero polio case in 2018 from a total of 12 cases in Pakistan. Whereas in 2019, Punjab still remained polio-free.