PESHAWAR: The government has decided to resume vaccination drives against polio in the province after suspension of four months and in this regard the first small scale campaign has been planned in South Waziristan from July 20, next while strictly adhering to Ministry of Health approved Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
This was announced by Minister of Health for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Taimur Saleem Jhagra in a press conference held here at Peshawar Press Club on Saturday. Coordinator EOC Abdul Basit, Team Lead WHO Dr Gedi, Team Lead UNICEF Dr. Andrew, Team Lead N STOP Dr Ijaz Ali Shah, Technical Focal Person EOC Dr Imtiaz Ali Shah and other relevant officials of EOC and health department were also present on the occasion.
Expanding on his thoughts, Taimur Saleem Jhagra said that COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of life including immunization programmes as the immediate responses to the pandemic included halting of immunization activities including polio vaccination campaigns that resulted in declined protection levels of children against vaccine preventable diseases.
He said that isolation of polio virus from environmental surveillance sites and detection in humans indicate widespread and persistent circulation of poliovirus in our province adding that the province has reported 63 out of the total 108 cases in the province, 58%, in 2020. In the current year, three polio cases are reported from South Waziristan.
Taimur Jhagra said that after detailed analysis we are convinced that the risk of spread of Corona virus through polio vaccination campaign is almost negligible and hence the government has decided to resume polio vaccination campaigns in the country. He said that we are hopeful that with support of media and local community, we will conduct a successful campaign in all union councils of South Waziristan.
The schedule and scope of next campaign will be decided in consultation with the Federal Government; he said and thanked media persons for continuously supporting the noble cause of polio eradication. "I wish all the best for our hard-working frontline polio workers to save our future generations and the dignity of our beloved country," said Jahgra.
Speaking on the occasion, Coordinator EOC Abdul Basit said that the three days campaign will start from 20th July in all 78 UCs of South Waziristan during which over 78,000 children under the age of five will be vaccinated. He said that a total of 609 teams will visit over 48,000 houses in the district adding that 250 supervisors and monitors will be deployed to ensure good coverage and quality campaign.
We have introduced necessary adjustments in operational strategies with the objective to further minimize the risk of spread of corona virus, said Abdul Basit, adding that teams will be provided with mask and hand sanitizers. Moreover, he added that teams have been advised to avoid touching child during vaccination, rather parent or caregiver shall hold the child. He said that a thermal gun will be provided to every supervisor to check temperature of teams in morning before they leave for vaccination. They will also assess the teams for any symptoms (flue, abdominal discomfort, sore throat) before sending team to field.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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