RAWALPINDI, Jan 18: During four-day antipolio campaign starting on Jan 30, over 655,746 children up to five years of age would be administered polio drops throughout the district.

Executive District Officer (EDO) Health Dr Zafar Iqbal Gondal said this on Wednesday while presiding over a meeting held here to review the arrangements for the polio drive.

Executive District Officer (EDO) Finance and Planning Matiullah Khan, District Officer (DO) Heath Dr Khalid Randhawa and representatives of health, education and other departments attended the meeting.Dr Gondal stressed cooperation among different departments of the City District Government Rawalpindi (CDGR) to make the drive a success. He said last year, not a single polio case was detected in the district and the status would be maintained this year by ensuring provision of polio vaccine to the children up to five years of age.

He informed the meeting that total 1,672 polio vaccination teams had been constituted including 1,342 mobile teams while 77 teams would be deputed at bus terminals and otherpublic places. He said polio teams at airport, bus stands and other similar public places would administer polio vaccine to five-year old children traveling with their parents.

He said that the department would take stern action against those officials who would not perform their duties efficiently.

Dr Gondal said that the health department requested Rawalpindi's station commander for the deployment of army personnel to assist the polio teams in security sensitive areas.

While briefing the participants, District Officer (DO) Health Dr Khalid Randhawa said that the department declared all the teaching hospitals, urban and rural health units as vaccination centers. He said that 61 mobile teams would be deputed at parks to vaccinate the children.

He said that the health department would also launch anti-dengue spray in the district from next month to avoid spread of the disease in the summer season. He said that the district health department in collaboration with education department would also start awareness campaign in educational institutions regarding dengue virus soon.