[ad_1]
ISLAMABAD: The first national polio immunization campaign, which will last three days in 2019, is scheduled to begin Monday (today).
During the campaign, 260,000 front-line workers will go door-to-door across the country to ensure that more than 39 million children under five receive two drops of vaccine, making them protect against poliovirus.
Last year, 12 cases of wild poliovirus were reported in the country: five in the Bajaur tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three in the Dukki district of Baluchistan and one in Charsadda, Lakki Marwat and Khyber in PK and Gadap in Karachi. This indicates a 97% decrease in the annual number of polio cases compared to the high number of 306 reported in 2014.
Despite this considerable achievement, the cunning poliovirus has found a way to survive. In December 2018, samples of wastewater collected in Karachi, Peshawar, Bannu, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Qila Abdullah, Pishin and Quetta were tested positive for poliovirus. Genetic badysis reports from the National Institute of Health's Poliovirus Virology Laboratory confirmed that the virus could spread from hot spots in the country and Afghanistan, posing a risk to resident under-immunized children elsewhere.
A total of 260,000 front-line workers will go door-to-door to vaccinate 39 million children
Babar Bin Atta, the Prime Minister's official in charge of polio eradication, said: "The government is firmly committed to overcoming poliovirus transmission in the country through optimal use of this low season of transmission."
According to an official statement, under the auspices of the National Center for Emergency Operations (EOC), the entire polio eradication program team in Pakistan will strive to fight against the virus through a high-quality vaccination campaign. Given its importance, 50 experts were deployed to facilitate the ground preparation and implementation of immunization campaign activities by local teams in priority areas. The campaign in Pakistan has been synchronized with Afghanistan to ensure the immunization of all children on the move.
"We will build on this momentum and work to close the gaps to defeat the poliovirus. It is very important that parents commit to protecting their children from the virus through repeated vaccinations whenever our polio specialists devote drops during these campaigns, "said Rana Mohammad Safdar, National Coordinator of the EOCs.
"This is a good opportunity to slow down the circulation of the virus and to develop children's immunity enough to fight poliovirus attacks," he said.
In Baluchistan too, more than 2.5 million children will receive polio drops during the campaign.
No less than 10,356 teams would be deployed to vaccinate children, said Rashid Razzaq, coordinator of the EOCs. In addition to 8,829 mobile teams, 951 fixed points and 576 transit points have been set up throughout Balochistan to ensure that all children receive polio drops.
"We have adopted strict security measures to avoid any unforeseeable situation," said the manager. Baluchistan force force personnel, police and border corps will be deployed to protect polio workers.
Razzaq said religious scholars were also involved in the campaign to persuade parents who normally refused workers to administer anti-polio drugs to their children.
Saleem Shahid of Quetta also contributed to this report.
Posted in Dawn, January 21, 2019
Source link
