CHAKWAL: The district administration of Chakwal has chalked out a comprehensive plan for a three-day polio campaign which will be carried out from January 12 to January 14.

According to the officials of District Health Department as many as 194,704 children from birth to the age of five years will be given vaccination during the campaign.

Four supervisors have been assigned the task of overseeing the campaign in four tehsils, while four members of World Health Organisation (WHO) will also monitor the campaign. As many as 68 union council officers have also been deputed to 68 union councils of the district. Special teams have been constituted to vaccinate children of Afghan refugees and migratory groups. All teams will be given protection by the police.

The teams will also visit the brick kilns to vaccinate the children of labourers working there. Additional District Collector Shireen Naz urged the parents to ensure their children receive vaccination during the campaign.

Meanwhile chairing a meeting of the Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Committee Chakwal, District Coordination Officer Asif Bilal Lodhi directed Executive District Officer Health Dr Muhammad Ayub Sadiq to ensure availability of iodised salt at the household level.

Dr Muhammad Ayub Sadiq told participants that iodine deficiency is the single most common cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage in the world.

“It also decreases a child survival, causes goiter and impairs growth and development,” the EDO said.

“Iodine deficiency in pregnant women causes miscarriages, stillbirths and other complications,” he said.

The EDO informed the participants that salt iodisation programme had been launched in Chakwal with technical and financial assistance from Micronutrient Initiative Pakistan. The district government Chakwal will ensure salt processors, dealers and shopkeepers are producing and selling iodised salt.

Published in Dawn January 12th , 2014

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