LAHORE: Punjab is formally introducing the injectable Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) in routine immunisation from July 1 (today) in all 36 districts across the province.

The IPV has been made part of the larger plan for nine vaccine preventable diseases, under the umbrella of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation.

The introduction of IPV comes as a milestone in polio’s endgame strategies and is part of the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan 2013-2018 developed in consultation with stakeholders, polio-infected countries, partners and global advisory bodies.

The plan envisages introduction of at least one dose of IPV in the routine immunisation programmes of the 126 countries currently using trivalent oral polio vaccine (tOPV).

Before making it part of the routine immunisation programme in Punjab, the IPV was introduced in campaign mode in selected high risk union councils from June 8 to 16. The IPV will be given as a single dose with Pentavalent III and PCV III to children of 14 weeks of age.

EPI Director Dr Munir Ahmed said polio had become a national embarrassment and featured high on the government priorities, hence was declared a national emergency.

“Punjab is eying 90 per cent routine immunisation coverage by the end of next year and if that happens, the dream of achieving complete polio eradication may well be in sight,” he said.

Published in Dawn, July 1st, 2015

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