CS for community involvement in polio eradication drive

PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah on Thursday underscored the need for comprehensive micro-planning, active community engagement and meticulous pre-campaign preparations to ensure the success of polio eradication efforts across the province.

He was speaking at the post-campaign review meeting of the April Anti Polio (NID) campaign. The meeting was attended by coordinator provincial EOC, commissioners, deputy commissioners, district health officers and other relevant officials.

During the meeting, a detailed presentation was given based on analytical figures and data. The chief secretary emphasized the importance of using lessons learned from the April campaign to improve the upcoming May campaign.

The chief secretary linked performance evaluation of officers to polio eradication efforts, emphasizing accountability to enhance campaign quality. The meeting noted a decrease in missed children and an increase in households and Union Councils (UCs) covered compared to the February 2025 campaign. Priority UCs reduced from 276 in February 2025 to 166 in April 2025, showing progress in vaccination efforts. Shahab Ali Shah also highlighted the importance of quality in anti-polio campaigns and directed special focus on areas where the virus is circulating.