3-day anti polio campaign form today
- March 14, 2016, 6:04 pm
- Health News
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(HQ): The Provincial coordinator Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Balochistan Coordinator Dr Saifur Rehman has said that a three day anti-polio campaign would kick off on March 14, 2016, covering 30 districts of Balochistan aiming at a target population of 23, 83, 10 to be vaccinated.
Addressing a news conference here on Monday, he said that as many as 6661 mobile teams, 820 fixed site facilitation points and 334 transit points would perform the duties of administering the anti-polio drops to the children in the province. Dr. Aftab Kakar of N-STOP, Dr. Nasir Abdi of WHO and Dr. Ashraf UNICEF were also present during the press conference.
He further said that currently Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only countries around the world where polio is endemic, adding during the current year 6 cases of polio were registered in Pakistan among them one was from Quetta.
He said that a cross border meeting was organized with Afghan authorities during the previous days wherein both the countries agreed to enhance polio immunization campaigns in a coordinated way in the bordering towns across the province, adding special campaigns would be launched in the adjoining villages of borders so that the threat is dealt with effectively.
He said that within Pakistan special focus would also be rendered to the tribes who undertake seasonal migrations in other provinces and turn back to Balochistan during the winter season, adding that community volunteers are also engaged in the process who are rendering services in various districts of Balochistan, among them Ulema, tribal elites and social activists are worth-mentioning.
Dr Saifur Rehman also informed media that quality of campaigns has also improved over the years in Balochistan and various lots have passed scrutiny in Killa Abdullah, Pishin, and Quetta. He said that an independent organization also counter confirms the effectiveness of the campaigns and its results have also showed 90 percent accuracy.
He said that being sandwiched between two high risk zonesæ–arachi and Kandahar葉he threats still loom higher on the Balochistan.
He said that during the current campaign the security forces are also engaged to avert any untoward incident, adding Balochistan Levies and Police would accompany the teams to ensure security while Frontier Corpse (FC) would also assist the campaigns in bordering towns.
