Comprehensive anti-polio strategy soon: WHO, Unicef & Bill Gates Foundation assure Punjab of all-out cooperation

Representatives of World Health Organisation (WHO), Bill Gates Foundation and Unicef in a meeting held here on Wednesday discussed the polio situation in the province of Punjab and assured all out co-operation for polio eradication. Advisor to Chief Minister Punjab on Health Kh Salman Rafique chaired the meeting which was attended by the representative of WHO Dr Ubaid-ul-Islam, Bill Gates Foundation's Dr Aslam Chaudhary, representatives of UNICEF Dr Naeem Ullah and polio team leader Ivon, Secretary Health Punjab Jawad Rafique Malik and Director General Dr Zahid Pervaiz.
Addressing the meeting, Salman said the occurrence of polio cases at a large number in Pakistan is a matter of concern for the whole nation. Punjab government's serious efforts and steps taken for eradication of polio are very clear; however, surfacing of two polio cases and continuous positive environmental samples of Lahore are a big challenge for government as well as professionals, he said. Therefore, government has decided to launch consecutive and vigorous anti-polio campaigns in the low transmission season of polio with the collaboration of International Partners in Punjab, he added.
The meeting discussed in detail the time schedule of coming anti-polio campaigns, micro planning for effective anti-polio campaigns, training of polio team workers, provision of logistics, strict monitoring mechanism for polio teams and Cold Chain Management to maintain the quality of polio vaccine and its timely transportation to the concerned districts.
Kh Salman Rafique said a comprehensive strategy for anti-polio campaigns with the collaboration of international partners would be evolved very soon. On this occasion, the representatives of International Partners assured for extending their full co-operation to the government of Punjab as well as Health Department for eradication of polio from the province.