It has been decided to start a large and organized anti-polio campaign across Punjab to completely eradicate polio, under which vaccines will be delivered to millions of children. The health department has completed special arrangements to make this campaign successful and field teams have been mobilized.
According to Adeel Tazar, head of the anti-polio program, the campaign this time in the province has been divided into different periods. The duration of the campaign in Lahore has been kept for seven days so that the teams can effectively reach densely populated areas and slums, while in other districts the campaign will continue for four days.
He said that in this phase, a target has been set to vaccinate more than 17.8 million children against polio. According to officials, special micro-planning has been done to ensure access to every child under the age of five so that no child is deprived of vaccination.
Adeel Taswar said that the manpower has been significantly increased for the success of the campaign. More than two lakh polio workers, including female volunteers, medical staff and supervisors, will go door to door to vaccinate children. In addition, special teams will also be deployed at transit points, bus stands and railway stations.
The health department has appealed to parents to fully cooperate with the teams and make sure to vaccinate their children against polio. According to experts, polio is a dangerous disease that can make children suffer from lifelong disabilities, however, timely vaccination provides complete protection from it.
Officials are hopeful that this campaign will prove to be a significant step towards eradicating polio in Punjab and will effectively prevent the spread of the virus in the future.
