Polio drive starts amid doubts about efficacy of vaccine

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday inaugurated the three-day polio immunisation campaign by administering anti-polio vaccine to children here at Children's Hospital.
Speaking on the occasion, Pervaiz Elahi said that the government has already taken effective measures in collaboration with international organisations for eradication of polio.
He further said that the government has released huge funds for upgrading emergency units of 11 teaching hospitals as well as district hospitals.
He revealed that various steps are being taken to improve healthcare service. The pilot project of Lahore ambulance service is being launched with a cost of Rs 50 million.
He added that the present government has allocated maximum budget for improvement in health sector.
Punjab Health Minister, Dr Tahir Ali Javed, secretary health and other officials were also present on the occasion.
Meanwhile, sources in provincial health department told Business Recorder that three polio cases, two from Muzaffargarh and one from Faisalabad, have been reported in the Punjab till the end of March 2004. During the last year, 11 polio cases were detected in the province.
The figure only included number of patients who were brought to the state-run health institutions, they said.
According to the sources, the health department has immunised over 95 percent of the targeted children against the polio disease in previous campaigns. However, polio has yet to be eliminated mainly on account of problems of the 'cold chain'.
When contacted, child specialist Dr Captain Niaz said that the government must launch this campaign in cold weather conditions, as ideal temperature to keep efficacy of the polio vaccine intact ranges between minus-4 degrees Celsius to four degree Celsius.
He said it is ironical that the disease has not so far been eradicated from the country despite vigorous campaign. As a matter of fact proper training of volunteers engaged in campaign and ensuring efficacy of vaccine are necessary for achieving the target, he added.