Punjab Health Department Director General Nisar Cheema said that Pakistan faced the risk of travel sanctions after June 2013 if the polio virus circulation was not stopped in the country.
The warning came at a media workshop arranged by the Department of Health at Royal Palm Golf and Country Club.
The participants of the workshop included Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari and EPI Director Tanveer Ahmad among editors of local dailies. The WHO was represented by Dr Amir and Dr Sarwat while Dr Tahir manzoor, Health and Nutrition specialist, was present on behalf of the UNICEF. Editors, reporters and desk incharges from major media organisations attended the workshop.
“We need media support in creating awareness that vaccinating children is our national responsibility”, the DG said in his remarks. He reminded the participants that in other countries like Egypt, no door to door campaigns were held to eradicate Polio. However, the parents were aware enough of the hazards of the disease that they bring their children to the health centres, the DG remarked.
Cheema clarified in his remarks that hygiene conditions in the area were vital to saving a child from measles, polio and other such diseases. “The Mianwali girl who contracted polio virus was living in an Afghan refugee camp in deplorable conditions. The child was malnourished and did not have enough immunity despite several dozes of OPV,” Cheema said.
The editor of a local newspaper sought the cooperation of department of health, the UNICEF and the WHO in the training of media personnel in reporting health issues properly. “Please give media personnel necessary training, material and expertise so that they could take guidance from the content,” he said. He urged all newspapers, magazines and TV channels to earmark a permanent space to cover health issues. “There needs to be a permanent space and time for health issues in the print as well electronic media so that proper coverage is given to immunization as well as Polio,” he said. The LPC president highlighted the role of press clubs in campaigns to eradicate measles and polio.