As a continuation of the ongoing National Anti- Polio Campaign, a three-day anti-polio vaccination drive will start from January 12-14, 2009 throughout the district during which, more then 1.0193 million children of under five years of age would be administered polio drops by 2,749 teams of health department. The DCO, Saeed Wahlah inaugurated the drive at DHQ Hospital on Saturday by administering polio drops to the children.
He stressed upon the health department officers to perform their duties with high responsibilities to make the campaign a success. Further, he said that the parents should be sensitised regarding vaccinating their children at all cost, besides infusing the new spirit and commitment into the health department teams. The DCO directed that each and every child under five years of age should be covered during the anti-polio campaign.
He also directed to make especial arrangements at general bus and wagon stands, railway stations, airport, exit and entry points of the district so that the children travelling with their parents during campaign days are not left out of the vaccination campaign. Wahlah directed that the drive should be effectively supervised, if there was any problem or hardships confronted to the health teams, that should be brought to the notice of the District Administration so that remedial measures could be taken immediately.
The EDO Health, Captain Dr Muhammad Saddique while giving the briefing on the campaign said, 72 Zonal Supervisors and 436 Area Inchrages had been deputed to supervise the campaign. He said 366 static teams of health department had been constituted while 206 teams would be remained at transit points and 2,177 mobile teams would visit door to door to administer polio vaccine drops to the children in the district.
The DO Health,Dr Imran Ali Khan said that entire arrangements had been finalised for the campaign and special awareness campaign was underway for the information of parents. He appealed to the parents to get their children vaccinated even if they had taken the drops many times earlier. The DO further said that in case the polio team did not reach any area, residents of that area should contact the health department on toll free telephone No 0800-12012.
Further, the representative of World Health Organisation, Dr Debora said that strenuous efforts were being made at International level to make the world free from polio. She said that parents should understand their responsibilities regarding the health of their children and administer polio drops on them that would help rooting out the disease from Pakistan. The Principal, Punjab Medical College, Professor Dr Asghar Ali Randhawa, Medical Superintendent, Dr Hafiz Mukhtar Randhawa other doctors and representatives of Rotary Club were also present on the occasion.