Anti-polio campaign in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as part of the National Immunization Day will begin on Monday (today). The three-day campaign will be held from December 19 to 21.
In Punjab, the campaign will target 18.4 million children.
Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare Khawaja Imran Nazir said, “Even though Punjab has not witnessed a case till this part of year, persistent circulation of the virus means the threat is still there and the good job has to continue.”
On the directives of Secretary Primary and Secondary Healthcare Punjab, 44654 teams in the province which include 37845 mobile teams, 4439 fixed teams, and 2370 transit teams has been constituted.
Pakistan has recorded 19 polio cases this year including 8 in Sindh, 8 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 2 in FATA and one in Balochistan. There has not been any polio case reported in Punjab yet. Globally, three countries including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and, Nigeria are the three countries still having polio cases.
Punjab’s Emergency Operation Coordinator Munir Ahmed said recent environmental samples have been a cause of concern indicating a presence of the virus. Munir Ahmed said, “At the end of the year, we are going to give this campaign our best shot. Rawalpindi positive sample last week was 10th in Punjab this year. We had three positive samples apiece in Lahore and Rawalpindi, two in Faisalabad and one in Multan and one in Dera Ghazi Khan.”
Munir Ahmed said, “At the end of the year, we are going to give this campaign our best shot. Rawalpindi positive sample last week was 10th in Punjab this year. We had three positive samples apiece in Lahore and Rawalpindi, two in Faisalabad and one in Multan and one in Dera Ghazi Khan.”
Munir also said, “We are trying to reach out to mobile and migrant population coming from polio-affected areas. In a case of teams not reaching any area, parents may contact helpline 0800 99000.”