ISLAMABAD: On the request of Ministry of National Health Services (NHS), the Islamabad district administration has contacted owners and representatives of 20 private schools of the capital to convince them that the polio vaccine is not only harmless but saves the children from the paralytic disease.

The health ministry has sought the Islamabad district administration’s help after 100pc refusals were reported from a private school during the last polio campaign.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Dr Asif Rahim while talking to Dawn said it was a fact that polio teams didn’t get access to the private schools.

“During last polio campaign a school located in the posh area of Islamabad refused to allow the teams to administer vaccines to children. Because of which none of 300 students were vaccinated. During every campaign school administrations initially tell us that they have to take the consent of parents. After that they say that parents were not replying to the E-mail sent to them or they could not be contacted through phone calls,” he said.

NHS ministry seeks district admin’s assistance after 100pc refusals were reported from a school during last campaign

Dr Rahim, who is focal person for polio in Islamabad, said that because of the continued resistance by the private schools a decision has been made to sensitize school management about the vaccination.

“It is unfortunate that even owners of schools are not aware of the vaccine and its importance. So far we have made phone calls to 20 private schools of the federal capital to give them awareness about the vaccines. Owners of the schools have been informed that a number of international and national researches, by National Institute of Health, prove that the vaccines are harmless. Moreover, edicts from religious scholars, declaring that the vaccine is not Haram, were also shown to them,” he said.

He said the owners finally agreed that they would cooperate during polio campaigns.

The Private Educational Institutions Authority (Peira) Chairman Hasnat Bukhari was also involved to ensure cooperation of private schools, he said.

“We also allayed private school owners’ fears that that recently vaccines killed three children. We told them that investigations have revealed that two children died because of diarrhoea and one due to measles. Pakistan Paediatric Association has been taken on board to give awareness to school owners,” Dr Rahim said.

“The next polio campaign is going to start in Islamabad from May 7 and we want to ensure that 100pc under-five children are vaccinated. We have suggested to the school owners to hold orientation sessions for parents who are reluctant to get their children vaccinated,” he said.

According to a statement issued by district administration the focus of sensitisation campaign is to evolve and implement strategies for ensuring 100pc coverage of schoolchildren. Parent-teacher meeting and a briefing during morning assemblies can be useful for obtaining 100pc result of vaccines.

“Refusals from private schools in posh areas of Islamabad have been a sore point, which requires special attention,” it stated.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2018