QUETTA: Every individual, crossing Pak-Afghan international border at Chaman on April 22, would be vaccinated with anti-polio drops, whether male, female or a minor, under the three-day anti-polio vaccination campaign starting Monday.
The government of Pakistan has declared mandatory anti-polio drops for all at Chaman border from April 22, said Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC), Balochistan, Rashid Razzaq while talking to APP here Sunday.
A three days Anti-Polio campaign will be kicked-off in 33 districts of Balochistan from Monday (22th April) in which more than 1.7 million children will be given polio drops.
Coordinator Emergency Operation Center (EOC), Balochistan, Rashid Razzaq elaborated the campaign and said all possible measures were being taken to conduct the vaccination in an effective and well-organized way.
“Every month around 40,000 children cross Pak-Afghan Friendship-gate at Chaman border, thus the route has significant importance in terms of administrating children with anti-polio drops”, he said.
“From April 22, 2019 we are going to start anti-polio vaccination of all individuals at Chaman border, children below the age of 10 have to be administrated with polio drops whenever they cross the transit points while individuals above 10 would be vaccinated once in a year and will be issued polio vaccination cards.” Rashid Razzaq added.
During the current year, six new polio cases appeared in Pakistan; four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one from Punjab and one from Sindh.
He mentioned the World Health Organization had imposed strict travel restriction on countries including Pakistan on May 2014 to prevent the possible threat of spread polio virus. Since the inevitable ban, Pakistani nationals were being administrated with anti-polio drops at all International Airports.
“Security forces including police, levies Force and Balochistan FC have given assignment to ensure protection of polio workers during the anti-polio campaign in Province”, Rashid Razzaq said and added religious scholars would also take part in polio drive to persuade the parents who normally do not support polio drops.
