90pc polio immunisation coverage achieved in Punjab: Dr Yasmin

LAHORE: Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid said on Wednesday the polio eradication programme was part of the larger expanded programme on immunisation and efforts were underway to eradicate polio from the province.

In a meeting with a delegation of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in her office, the health minister said that special focus was being laid on birth registration. Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department Additional Secretary Coordination Ms Sundas Irshad, BMGF Technical Focal Person Dr Naeedm Majeed and Dr Zeina Ali Siam were also present.

The health minister said, “The government is utilising all possible resources to eradicate polio. “According to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, we are endeavoring to make Punjab polio free. A central data repository has been developed to register polio vaccination record of children. Overall 90 per cent immunisation coverage has been achieved in the province. We will try our best to achieve 100pc coverage during polio NID. Polio eradication has emerged as a big challenge in Punjab. We are trying to restructure and scale up the expanded programme on immunisation,” the provincial health minister said. Dr Zeina Ali Siam from BMGF appreciated the Punjab government’s efforts for polio eradication and assured complete support from her organisation.