Polio virus detection in Lahore, DG Khan: Vaccination drive in Punjab begins from 21st

LAHORE:The Provincial Task Force on Polio Eradication raised serious concerns over the recent detection of polio virus in environmental samples from Lahore and Dera Ghazi Khan, prompting a decision to implement targeted measures in the upcoming anti-polio campaign to ensure coverage of all missed children in high-risk areas.

The decision was made during a meeting of the task force held at the Civil Secretariat here on Wednesday, chaired by Punjab Minister for Health Khawaja Imran Nazir.The meeting reviewed preparations for the province-wide anti-polio campaign scheduled to begin on April 21.

Addressing the session, the minister emphasised the urgent need to address operational shortcomings to achieve complete eradication of polio from the province.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguard frontline polio workers and announced that personnel from the Population Welfare Department, now merged with the Health Department, would also contribute to the campaign.

Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman instructed all deputy commissioners to personally supervise the campaign, stressing the importance of technological tools, digitised data, and enhanced training for field teams to ensure successful execution.

Health officials informed the task force that the campaign would run from April 21 to 27 in major cities like Lahore, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi, while in other districts, it will conclude by April 25.

Special mobile and transit teams were mobilised to vaccinate children across the province, especially in vulnerable areas.The meeting was attended by the Chief Minister’s Focal Person on Polio, Uzma Kardar, along with senior officials from the health and education departments, and representatives of international partner organisations, including the World Health Organisation (WHO). Divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners also participated via a video link.