LAHORE: Head of the polio programme in Punjab and Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator Khizer Afzaal has warned of strict action against health officials persistently showing poor performance in polio campaigns.

He was presiding over a polio campaign readiness meeting of District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) of 15 districts on Wednesday.

Districts included Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Attock, Chakwal, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, Rajanpur, RY Khan, Okara, Sheikhupura and Gujranwala.

A special immunization campaign is being launched from September 9, targeting 13.9 million children in the abovementioned districts.

The campaign will continue for seven days in Lahore, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad. While in other districts the campaign will last five days.

Addressing the participants the EOC coordinator noted that Punjab has reported its first polio case in August. Positive environmental samples suggest that there are unvaccinated children after every polio campaign, he underscored.

The EOC coordinator noted intense virus circulation indicated no place was safe from virus and our children were at heightened risk.

In such situation, he pointed out to the districts, no leniency will be shown towards officials repeatedly showing poor performance in polio campaigns.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024