Punjab Health department has set up 135 polio vaccination and certification centres including all airports, government hospitals and offices of EDOs Health across the province. Sources in the Health department told Business Recorder that in order to meet demand of polio vaccine after WHO restriction, the Health department has started efforts to purchase polio vaccine because currently the department has around 0.4 million doses of Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) in its stock.
In the wake of travel restrictions imposed by the WHO, around one million OPV would be required in the province, the sources claimed. In order to meet the requirement, Health department is seeking special permission to purchase OPV on emergent basis in relaxation of PPRA rules, the sources claimed. Health professionals said that proper cold chain is necessary for OPV right from time it is produced, delivered and vaccinated.
They said the government should arrange different activities, launch aggressive campaigns, involve masses to achieve the goal of polio free country. They suggested to set up mass media and public camps regularly in urban and rural areas of the country to educate masses about the benefits of vaccinations of their children. Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister on Health Kh Salman Rafique said that the aim of establishing polio vaccination and certification centres at airports is to save the passengers from any difficulty who want to travel abroad in any emergency or without any schedule. He appealed to the people to obtain certificate from any nearby hospital or EDO Health office at least one month before travelling to avoid rush at the airports.
While presiding over a meeting to review the polio eradication arrangements in Lahore, Salman said that officials of mobile polio vaccination teams should not be changed without any reason and the allied departments be asked to provide services of the same employees for polio vaccination who had already participated in this campaign.
Secretary Health Dr Ijaz Munir, DG Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, Additional Secretary (Technical) Dr Salman Shahid, Director EPI Dr Munir Ahmed, Provincial Co-ordinator of WHO Dr Ubaid-ul-Islam and Dr Aslam Chaudhry of Melinda Gates Foundation were also present in the meeting.
The meeting was informed that 132 polio vaccination teams have been posted at interprovincial borders, bus terminals and also on shrines to administer polio drops to the children. The meeting was informed that another anti-polio round will be conducted in Lahore from May 19. Secretary Health Dr Ijaz Munir directed that complete data of international travellers who are being vaccinated, should be computerised. He observed that the complete and permanent eradication of polio would be possible when we strengthen our EPI Programme and ensure more than 90 percent coverage of routine immunisation. Salman Rafique said that there is a need to take urgent steps to eradicate polio.
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