Punjab government has planned to implement a comprehensive strategy to eradicate polio from the province. In this regard, the provincial government is implementing well-designed 'Emergency Action Plan' in collaboration with all the line departments and donor agencies associated with child health.
This was revealed in a high level meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Punjab, Nasir Khosa, here Tuesday. Administrative secretaries and representatives of line departments attended the meeting. The meeting was told that the emergency action plan has been chalked-out to interrupt transmission of poliovirus by the end of 2011. The meeting observed that vaccination during the high quality immunisation campaign is a strong barrier to protect children from the deadly virus.
In the meeting, it was proposed that DCOs should hold meetings of district polio eradication committees two weeks before every anti-polio campaign with the purpose of planning excellent implementation and high vaccination coverage. It is also essential that every immunisation plan is endorsed by the designated medical officer and official from the DCO/TMA offices at the union council level and the same should also be reviewed by EDOs health and technical staff from the partner organisations.
Speaking on the occasion the chief secretary said, "It is important that we may not become complacent in the absence of polio cases in Punjab so far this year, but instead, must remain very vigilant and focused in our efforts to eradicate the virus from Punjab."
He directed that vaccination staff should also reach mobile populations by accurately mapping the location of all such settlements besides devising specific standalone plans for high quality vaccination coverage in high risk areas and populations eg, children of brick kiln workers, construction site working families and nomadic camps. Similarly, it was also pointed-out that cable networks as well as platform of mosques is very effective to sensitise parents to immunise their children.
Khosa directed that the provincial departments including Education, Revenue, Auqaf, Social Welfare, Police as well as health related NGOs should be fully involved in this campaign so that no child, up to the age of five years, is left without vaccination."Eradication of polio virus from Punjab will be a great achievement. Let us all work together to protect the children of Punjab against this deadly disease. In order to achieve this goal, every child under five years of age must receive polio vaccine during the forthcoming polio campaigns," he concluded.