World Health Organisation (Who) has declared Pakistan a `high risk` country with regard to international spread of polio virus, and travel restrictions may be imposed on Pakistan under International Health regulation, if polio campaign will remain weak in the country.
Who National Consultant Punjab Dr Shafiq-ur-Rehman said on Wednesday that there are 40 polio cases in the world out of which 15 are from Pakistan and one case is from Punjab. He advocated for strengthening anti-polio campaign to achieve the goal of polio free society.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique stressed the need for waging co-ordinated efforts against the disease of polio. He said Ulema, teachers and members of civil society need to work together for polio eradication campaign. He said, "All of us should take the responsibility for playing due role to ensure that every child is vaccinated during the upcoming campaign and no single child misses the vaccination with two drops of polio vaccine."
A three-day anti-polio campaign will be held in Lahore from April 23 to 25. Health department's teams will administer polio drops to 1,360,865 children below the age of five years during the campaign. EDO (health) told the meeting that 15 teams at district level and ten teams at town level will monitor anti-polio campaign in the city whereas 81 supervisors and 415 zonal incharges have also been assigned the task for drive.