DG Health Services Punjab Dr M Ilyas Gondal said that Punjab has conducted over 130 awareness sessions for prevention of Cholera in the provincial capital in the last one week and this will go a long way in educating community on hand hygiene, WASH awareness and prevention of water borne disease. The Expanded Programme on Immunisation designed and conducted an intensive awareness campaign for prevention of Cholera and water borne diseases in the provincial capital from Jun 7 to 13, 2023.
The campaign was conducted by the District Health Authority with WHO support in the 17 high-risk union councils of the provincial capital. Punjab faces increase in number of Cholera cases during summers especially during monsoon season.
WHO representative for Pakistan Dr Palitha Mahipala visited provincial capital to inaugurate the campaign in UC 137, Nishter Town Lahore. AC Model Town Sahibzada Yousuf, Additional Director CDC Dr Shoaib Ahmed and Additional Directors EPI Dr Samra Khurram also attended the ceremony. The health education team of District Health Authority Lahore took on board political notables and community members. As part of the plan, 134 community awareness sessions were planned in the 17 UCs during the campaign days.
Training facilitators comprised Health Education team and the School Health Nutrition Supervisors of Lahore district. The WHO gave them training on wash Awareness and hand hygiene. In the campaign, 22 School Health Nutrition Supervisors, 22 Lady Health Supervisors and 22 LHWs/LSPs conducted community sessions for 2000 families with special focus on mothers.
