LAHORE: As part of the government’s renewed efforts to eradicate polio, anti-polio campaigns are set to begin in various parts on the country, including Lahore, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan, today. The campaigns of varied durations will span over the next 7 days.
A three-day anti-polio campaign started in Lahore earlier today.
While talking to media, Deputy Commissioner Saleha Saeed said that five thousand polio teams have been constituted to administer the campaign wherein over 18.5 million children, up to five years of age, will be vaccinated across the provincial capital.
She urged parents to cooperate with polio teams to eradicate polio.
A three-day anti-polio campaign is currently underway in twenty-seven districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Anti-Polio Measures Babar Bin Atta earlier today.
According to the provincial health department, more than three million children will be vaccinated across the province that has been experiencing outbreaks since October 2018.
Chief Minister Mehmood Khan has appealed to the media to support the provincial government in shunning the negative propaganda.
Talking to media in Peshawar after inaugurating anti-polio drive, Khan ruled out propaganda against the drive. “Government will never administer the wrong vaccine to children”, he said.
A seven-day campaign against polio will be launched in Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, and Sohbat Pur districts this week. During this time, over 1 million children will be given anti-polio drops.
Three days after Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates expressed concerns over the rise of polio cases in Pakistan, five new cases emerged on Sunday, taking the total number to 58 in 2019. The total count of polio cases in KP alone stands at 44 now.
According to reports, three cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) whereas two were reported in Sindh.