Punjab launches polio eradication drive

MULTAN: The city district administration has launched a comprehensive three-day polio eradication campaign, set to begin on October 13, to protect future generations from the poliovirus.

The campaign was inaugurated on Thursday by Deputy Commissioner Wasim Hamid Sandhu at Shahbaz Sharif District Headquarters Hospital, where he administered polio drops to the children and distributed gifts. Speaking on the occasion, the deputy commissioner said the campaign aims to vaccinate 5,416,460 children under the age of five. To achieve this target, the administration has formed 10,239 door-to-door teams, supervised by 4,021 area in-charges. In addition, medical officers from 230 union councils and 148 supervisory officers will participate in and monitor the campaign.

A total of 4,399 teams will conduct door-to-door visits across the district during the campaign. The deputy commissioner appealed to parents to cooperate fully with the polio teams and warned that strict action would be taken against those refusing vaccination. Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Sandhu inspected a training session organised for polio workers. During his visit, he reviewed the training provided by the health department and expressed satisfaction with the preparations. He instructed field teams to ensure every child under five receives polio drops and emphasised that the success of the national campaign is a shared responsibility. “Polio eradication is the top priority of the government, and we must all contribute to making this campaign successful,” he said. The DC urged polio teams to work with dedication and commitment, ensuring no child is missed. He also directed officials to monitor teams effectively, address challenges promptly, and resolve issues on the ground. He reaffirmed that the district administration and Health Department are fully mobilised, and with public cooperation, the complete eradication of the polio virus is within reach.

JHANG: More than 580,000 children under the age of five will be administered anti-polio drops during a four-day vaccination campaign set to begin on October 13 and conclude on October 16. This was announced by Deputy Commissioner and Administrator District Health Authority Ali Akbar while chairing a meeting on Thursday to review the campaign’s arrangements. He emphasised that no child should be left unvaccinated, stressing the importance of maintaining proper storage and transportation temperatures for the polio vaccines.

The DC stated that the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards any negligence in this national health initiative. He directed officials to give special attention to bus and wagon stands, schools, and other transport hubs, ensuring children traveling with their parents are also vaccinated. He added that assistant commissioners of Jhang, Shorkot, Ahmedpur Sial, and Athara Hazari would be in the field to supervise the implementation of the campaign. The Education Department and other allied departments have also been instructed to actively participate. During the briefing, the District Health Officer (DHO) informed attendees that a total of 2,343 vaccination teams, including staff from Basic Health Units (BHUs), Rural Health Centers (RHCs), and other public health facilities, will participate in the drive.