A five-day polio drive would commence in the entire Rawalpindi district from January 24.
District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Faiza Kanwal told APP that during the campaign, 2964 polio teams would go door-to-door and administer polio drops to 718,000 children under five years of age in all tehsils and union councils of the district. She added that SOPs” s regarding COVID-19 would be implemented in letter and spirit to ensure safety during the drive while wearing masks, and the use of sanitizers would also be mandatory for polio teams.
Dr Faiza informed that 396 areas In-charge, 204 medical officers, allied hospitals and tehsil headquarters hospitals would participate in the campaign. In addition, “ 307 fix centres would also be set up to administer drops”, she added.
The CEO said around 12,000 children below five years of age would also be covered during the drive, which had missed from immunisation being out of city or not present at home in the previous campaign concluded on December 13.
She said all possible steps had been taken by the concerned to make the campaign successful. A sufficient quantity of vaccines is available, and no stone will be left unturned in our effort to make the campaign a success.
The CEO said the objective of regularly conducting anti-polio campaigns was to keep children through protective drops and increase their immunity. Dr Faiza urged the citizens, particularly the parents, to come forward and play their role in eliminating the crippling disease from society.
