The authorities concerned of the provinces have been asked to ensure 100 percent coverage during every polio immunisation drive.
According to an official of the Polio Eradication Programme, the provinces have also been directed to reach every child to protect him from the crippling disease. He said over 34 million children received anti-polio drops during the last three-day national polio immunisation campaign across the country. He added 77,628 house-to-house vaccination teams, 5,702 transit vaccination teams on busy bus and railway stations, airports, bazaars and 9,702 fixed vaccination posts were set up for the drive.
He said a total of 16,914 area in-charges and 3,178 union council in-charges supervised the vaccination teams. The WHO and UNICEF district and union council level staff have provided assistance for monitoring activities in close collaboration with local authorities, he said.
He said that under the augmented plan, the government is getting support of parliamentarians, media persons and ulema to address the issues like refusal of parents to get their children vaccinated and low coverage of vaccination in some areas. He further said the plan guaranteed achieving full oversight, ownership and accountability for anti-polio programme performance at each administrative level, besides ensuring adequate preparations for anti-polio campaigns. He claimed the government was committed to implementing the emergency plan in true spirit, especially at union council level of each district.
He said that collective efforts of the government, development partners, local communities and media could help alleviate the sufferings of all children.