Yasmin reviews arrangements for polio eradication campaign

LAHORE:Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid reviewed the arrangements of a special anti-polio drive in a meeting here on Thursday.

The campaign will be carried out in eleven districts of the province from 2-6 August. Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Sarah Aslam briefed the meeting regarding the special polio campaign. In the campaign regular polio drops will be given to every child of the age of 5. In this campaign she stated that 9.5 million children in 11 districts of the province will be vaccinated against polio.

The campaign will be conducted in Lahore, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi and Multan. Furthermore children in Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Rahimyar Khan and Okara will also be vaccinated. In addition to this Sarah Aslam said that the campaign will run in a total of 1,350 union councils. During which a total of 28,569 mobile, 2,116 fixed and 1,222 transit teams will vaccinate children in this campaign. She said that polio is a deadly disease and children should be kept safe from it. Furthermore all citizens are requested to be a part of this campaign in making Punjab a polio-free province.

uplift schemes: Specialised Healthcare Department (SHCD) in its meeting of Departmental Development Sub-Committee has approved five development schemes of different teaching hospitals in the province.

The meeting of DDSC held on Thursday under the chair of Secretary Specialized Healthcare Aamir Jan gave go head to undertake the projects without further delay. The meeting was attended among others by Additional Secretary Development Dr Asif Tufail, Principal SIMS, MS Mayo Hospital, AMS Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology, Director Central Research Lab PGMI and Chief Planning Officer Health.

The approved schemes are upgradation of endoscopy services of Jinnah Hospital costing Rs 26 million, replacement/purchase of gastroenterology machine of LGH/PGMI at a cost of Rs.250 million, purchase of radiotherapy source (Cobalt-60) scheme costing Rs.71.8 million, HVAC system in Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology at a cost of Rs.110 million and renovation of Gynae OPD and OT in Services Hospital costing Rs.383 million. These development projects would be completed by end of June, 2022, the secretary added.