May round of anti-polio drive kicks off

PESHAWAR: Additional Secretary Health (polio) and Coordinator Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abdul Basit on Friday renewed the resolve for polio eradication.

Kicking off the May round of anti-polio drive here Friday at the EOC Headquarters by administering polio and vitamin A drops to the children, he said the government stood committed to wiping out the virus from the last endemic region by vaccinating every eligible child against the crippling disease.

EOC Deputy Coordinator, Zamin Khan, Provincial Team Lead Polio UNICEF, Dr Andrew Etsano, Technical Lead N Stop, Dr Shabnam and EPI staff were also present on the occasion.

Talking to the media, Abdul Basit said the provincial government was taking every measure to address ground challenges, especially in the southern belt of the province and ensure a conducive environment for frontline workers to achieve the target of vaccination.

He said the polio eradication was our national responsibility and a matter of our children’s health that needed serious and concerted efforts by all stakeholders.

“The May round of the anti-polio drive is of critical importance given the reporting of three cases from North Waziristan and presence of virus in the environment”, he added.

The EOC coordinator informed the media that during the May campaign over 7.28 million eligible children would be vaccinated against polio for which a total of 3,0981 teams had been established out of which 27,763 were mobile teams, 1,908 fixed teams, 1,161 transit and 149 roaming teams. He said adequate measures had been taken to ensure security for the teams and over 40, 000 law enforcement agencies (LEAs) personnel would be deployed in the May campaign at various plugging points and with teams.

The campaign will be carried out in all districts of the province, including Afghan refugee camps from May 23, 2022, he said.

“People should not pay attention to anti-polio propaganda by vested elements as ensuring a healthy life to children was the prime obligation of the caregivers and every responsible citizen of the country”, he stated.

Earlier, he administered anti-polio drops to the children to formally inaugurate the May round of polio campaign in the province.