Polio eradication plan reviewed

LAHORE

Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique on Sunday directed the authorities concerned in districts to comply with new indicators of National Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication 2016-17.

Chairing a monthly meeting of health EDOs, he said Punjab’s LQAS results for polio NID, September, were 93 percent, much above the pass benchmark, but the troubled union councils still needed to be analysed in detail.

Primary and Secondary Healthcare Secretary Ali Jan Khan, Punjab Health Services Director General Dr Mukhtar Hussain Syed, health EDOs of all districts of the province, Chief Minister's Road Map team, representatives from PITB, Policy and Strategic Planning Unit, UNICEF and WHO participated in the meeting.

The adviser to the chief minister reviewed diphtheria situation and stressed that in the event of a suspect case, mop-up be conducted in surrounding 40 households and in case of mortality, all children below the five years of age in the area be administered Penta dose. It was also decided that, in compliance with Supreme Court’s decision, the Vaccine Vial Monitor column would be added to the reporting tools for polio workers.

The Primary and Secondary Healthcare secretary said that preventive healthcare was under special focus and based on study of successful models in the region and the world. He said new initiatives were being introduced by the start of 2017. He reviewed the immunisation efforts in the southern districts and asked the districts to prepare special immunisation plans for the riverine areas. He also said the penalties and other disciplinary measures might be taken against the staff not complying with bio-matric attendance. 

The meeting reviewed the status of BHUs, facilities and resources needed for improvement. The Chief Minister's Road Map team also presented analysis on Key Performance Indicators for Primary and Secondary Healthcare. It was decided that Punjab would further improve its immunisation programme by analysis of child level data. EPI Director Dr Munir Ahmed gave presentation on NEAP 2016-17 indicators for immediate compliance and said that SNID would be held in selected high risk districts from October 24 to Oct 27.