Directive to inoculate children missed in polio campaigns

LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Coordinator Adeel Tassawar has urged districts to intensify their focus on children who have been persistently missed in previous polio campaigns.

He made these remarks while co-chairing a performance review meeting with 36 districts of Punjab, along with Chief Minister’s Focal Person on Polio Uzma Kardar on Tuesday. District Health Management Teams from across the province participated in the meeting via video link. Tassawar warned that the missed children remain highly vulnerable to the polio virus, particularly in light of the ongoing intense virus circulation.

He reminded participants that the upcoming nationwide polio campaign, set to begin just before Ramazan on February 3, would play a critical role in curbing the transmission of the polio virus. He noted that after the February campaign, there would be a gap of over a month before the next immunisation drive, making it all the more essential to ensure the quality of the upcoming campaign.

Tassawar called on district health management teams to take full ownership of the campaign, ensuring that the microplans account for every child and every village, thereby minimising the risk of any child being missed.

Uzma Kardar expressed confidence that 2025 would be the year in which Pakistan will eradicate polio. She outlined that over 200,000 polio workers would be involved in the campaign across all districts of Punjab. She also emphasised the unwavering support from the provincial leadership, including Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz, who is closely monitoring the polio eradication efforts and is committed to overcoming the final challenges. Uzma concluded that after the campaign, a comprehensive performance review would be conducted for district management teams to ensure that all efforts were on track and successful in the fight against polio.