The Department of Health, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday launched another Short Interval Additional Doses (SIADs) immunisation campaign in 12 high risk union councils of Peshawar and three camps of Afghan refugee. The Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with partner organisations is focusing on some of the security compromised union councils of Peshawar and carrying out additional campaigns in these areas to eradicate polio.
The identified high risk union councils are included Sikandar Town, Gul Bahar, Shaheen Muslim Town I and II, Yakatoot I, II, III, Kakshal 2, Akhoonabad, Haryana Payan, Larama and Sufaid Dheri. According to an official of the department, the targeted population for the second round of SIADs is 101295 for which a total of 251 teams have been formed.
When asked about repeated campaigns in Peshawar, official of the Health department informed that environmental samples collected from sewage in Peshawar is positive which means that unvaccinated children are at a risk of being hit by the crippling disease. Repeated campaigns would protect our children and eradicate polio from the region, he said, adding that there was no harm in taking extra doses of vaccine as it was safe and has no harmful effects on health.