LAHORE: “The District Health Management Authorities must ensure that their energy and time is fully dedicated to the special polio campaign starting from Monday so that polio virus local circulation does not establish in the province”, instructed the head of the polio programme in Punjab and Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khizer Afzaal on Friday.

He was presiding over a readiness meeting ahead of the sub-national polio campaign, which is scheduled to begin from Monday, April 29, in 10 districts of Punjab. Districts include Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, DG Khan, RY Khan, Rajanpur, Sheikhupura, Okara and Mianwali.

While in Rawalpindi, Mianwali and Sheikhupura campaign will be held partially, all areas of rest of the districts will be covered in full.

In Lahore, Rawlpindi, and Faisalabad, the campaign will last 7 days while in rest of the districts, campaign will continue for five days only. In all districts, last two days of the campaign will be allocated to cover the leftover children.

Over 67,000 polio workers will participate in the campaign including 60,000 mobile team members.

Chairing the meeting, Khizer called upon district officials to ensure that they are fully focused on polio during the campaign, that the SNIDs is best utilized, and that no child is left unvaccinated especially from the vulnerable and priority communities.

The EOC coordinator inquired about status of polio team members’ trainings and expressed displeasure about some districts lagging on the indicator. He instructed the officials to take trainings of polio teams seriously and submit the updated status in the second half of the day.

Afzaal also expressed concerns about low number of government accountable teams in some districts saying the low numbers could negatively affect campaign quality. He instructed the officials to work with line departments and involve more government accountable persons in the polio teams before the campaign.

In addition to the numbers, the EOC coordinator stressed on maintaining quality of polio human resource. He specifically directed the provincial monitors to prepare a comprehensive report on the quality of polio human resource and submit the same to the EOC after return from the campaign.

He directed the CEOs to personally monitor the performance of polio teams; otherwise they will be held accountable for the gaps.

During the meeting, the EOC coordinator called upon district health authorities to leave their offices in polio campaigns and personally monitor the campaign so that any action is taken on time.

Afzaal noted the beginning of summer season with concern saying hot weather meant challenges in the maintenance of vaccine cold chain and efficacy. He directed district officials to ensure vaccine efficacy up till doorsteps by taking concrete measures and frequent monitoring checks as well as by saving adequate quantity of icepacks. He also underscored the importance of transit points saying the teams deployed needed to be alert and given adequate security. He called upon DG Khan and Rajanpur CEOs to remain in touch with polio officials in their respective districts for security to polio teams in remote areas.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024