Polio drive begins tomorrow

Islamabad: The nationwide five-day anti-polio campaign will begin tomorrow (Monday) targeting more than 40 million children under the age of five.

Around 285,000 frontline workers will go from door to door in all 156 districts across the country to administer anti-polio drops to children.

With the cooperation of the public, community leaders, parents and frontline workers the programme has successfully and safely implemented six campaigns in 2020, said a statement from

the Pakistan polio programme. Frontline workers have been trained to adhere to COVID-19 SOPs.

“We have started witnessing the impact of our hard work over the last six months in terms of improved epidemiology,” said Dr Shahzad Baig, coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre, Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI).

“This is reflected by the declining polio cases and decreased detection of viruses in sewage samples. It is critical that we sustain our progress to achieve eradication.” Pakistan has reported one polio case so far this year.