Three-day countrywide anti-polio drive launched

A three-day countrywide anti-polio campaign launched on Monday amidst strict measures for security of the polio vaccination teams.
According to reports, in Punjab, Adviser to the chief minister on Health, Khawaja Salman Rafique said a total of 18 million children below the age of five years will be administered anti-polio drops. A dose of Vitamin A will also be given to the children of six months age.
He said over thirty-nine thousand teams have been formed for the drive to administer the drops to the children door to door. Moreover, teams have also been deputed at all entry and exit points, airports, railway stations, bus stands and other public places for the purpose.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the anti-polio campaign began in twenty-three districts. According to Provincial Health Department, more than 5.3 million children up to five years of age will be administered anti-polio drops.
Sixteen thousand and seven hundred teams have been constituted, which will visit door to door to vaccinate children against polio. Children of the Afghan refugees will also be administered anti-polio drops.
In Sindh, over 6 million children will be administered polio drops in twenty-three districts except Karachi during the campaign.
Three-day anti-polio campaign in 32 districts of Balochistan was also launched on Monday. During the campaign 24,72,616 children below the age of five years will be administered polio drops.
For this purpose 6498 mobile teams have been formed. 32 union councils in Quetta, 24 in Qila Abdullah, two in Zhob, one each in Pashin, Musakhel and Khazdar have been declared high risk.
For the security of polio workers officials of Balochistan levies, police and Balochistan constabulary has been deployed while a ban on pillion riding has also been imposed in this regard.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, over 200,000 children would be vaccinated against polio during the three-day campaign. 1200 teams have been constituted to make success the anti- polio drive. Strict measures have been taken for security of the polio vaccination teams across the country.