Staff Reporter
Islamabad
A five-day nationwide anti-polio drive has kicked-off Monday, during which forty million children below five years age will be administered anti-polio. This is the first nationwide campaign in the country after its four-month suspension due COVID-19 outbreak. The scope of this campaign is much larger and seeks to vaccinate all children under the age of five through door-to-door visits by almost 270,000 vaccinators all over the country.
The polio vaccinators have received comprehensive training on how to vaccinate children safely by minimizing the threat of coronavirus outbreak. The polio eradication programme has put strict measures in place for all staff following the government’s set guidelines on COVID-19 preventative measures.
Taking to Twitter, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan urged parents and caregivers to cooperate with polio teams in an effort to rid the country of the debilitating disease. “With the news of Africa being certified as polio-free, we are also ramping up our efforts to bring us closer to a polio-free Pakistan. We are consistently reviewing our campaign performance and responding to the needs of the communities we interact with in order to improve our outreach and capacity,” he said in a statement.
“Moreover, we are integrating and synergising systems and services across our polio and immunisation programmes to accrue benefits from their respective assets and opportunities and ultimately strengthen the routine immunisation of children,” he added. Dr Rana Safdar, the coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Centre of the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, also urged parents with children under the age of five to ensure they are vaccinated.
“This is an opportune moment for parents to make sure that their children are vaccinated against polio. We have made sure that all safety measures for Covid-19 are in place to protect children, their parents and caregivers as well as our vaccinators. The safety and health of our people will always come first,” he said. Earlier in July and August, smaller case response campaigns were conducted to vaccinate children in high risk districts across the country. The scope of the current campaign is much larger and seeks to vaccinate all children under the age of five through door-to-door visits by teams comprising of almost 270,000 vaccinators.
As with the previous campaigns, polio workers have continued to receive comprehensive training on how to vaccinate children safely within the Covid-19 context. This includes thorough prevention measures, such as hand washing, proper use of face masks and keeping a safe distance from people during visits. Moreover, the programme has put strict measures in place for all staff following the government’s guidelines on Covid-19 preventative measures.
To mitigate the risks associated with the widespread presence of the virus, the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme is planning to conduct back-to-back national vaccination campaigns in the remaining months of the year. Children will also continue to receive routine immunisation services at fixed health centres across the country.
