DUE to breakout of Corona Virus, the anti-Polio vaccination campaigns unfortunately remained suspended for four months. However as country is witnessing improvement in Covid-19 situation, it is encouraging to see official focus shifting back to polio eradication programme.
A week long anti-Polio drive was launched in thirty one districts of Punjab and forty one districts of Sindh province on Saturday while vaccination campaign for Balochistan and Azad Kashmir is also beginning from today (Monday). As threat of Corona virus is not yet over, it is recommended that polio workers are instructed to take all precautionary measures including use of face masks and hand sanitizers before and after administering anti-Polio drops to children. Any negligence could have disastrous consequences both for children and their parents. Parents and guardians must fully cooperate with vaccinators, as it is matter of life and future of their children. So far sixty-four polio cases have been detected this year and no doubt it is a blot on our face as rest of the world except Afghanistan has eliminated it. If our country can successfully control an unprecedented health challenge of Corona virus for which it is getting recognition from different quarters, with seriousness of purpose same success can be registered in Polio eradication.
The top leadership has to take ownership of Polio eradication programme. It will be a symbolic gesture yet Prime Minister Imran Khan and provincial chief ministers should themselves launch these campaigns by administering anti-Polio drops to children. This in fact will show urgency on part of the government to address this issue. There is also need to launch mass awareness campaigns on the pattern of Covid-19 about the threat posed by Polio.
