RAWALPINDI: Poliovirus was found during environmental sewage sampling carried out by World Health Organization (WHO) in Rawalpindi city in July.

An official of WHO told Dawn that this was the second time this year the poliovirus was found in a nullah in Safdarabad near Pirwadhai area.

Earlier, the poliovirus was found in the same locality in January.

District health dept to focus on high-risk areas during anti-polio drive

The area is located in the middle of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and the presence of poliovirus is a warning for the health authorities of the two cities, he said.

He said that the environmental sample of sewages of Rawalpindi city was conducted every month in Safdarbad and Dhoke Dalal.

The official said that both areas were near Pirwadhai where mostly migrants from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas reside.

The experts were of the view that a similar poliovirus was found in Peshawar.

Presence of poliovirus in Rawalpindi’s sewer in July forced the district administration to focus on the high risk areas during the anti-polio drive.

Deputy Commissioner Dr Umer Jehnagir on Wednesday directed the District Health Authority to make a micro plan for anti-polio drive in the district especially for high risk union councils.

While reviewing the arrangement in an emergency meeting of the health authority, he said World Health Organisation (WHO) marked 34 union councils in the district as high risk areas.

He said the vaccinators should prepare a data of the children in the high risk union councils.

“A three-day training programme for the anti-polio workers should be launched in the district,” he said.

He was of the view that the anti-polio vaccine should be given to the children coming from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Abbottabad on priority basis. The health department official said that transit posts should be established on priority basis.

He directed health department to update targets keeping in view the shortcomings and limitations of previous campaigns.

The chronic refusal cases should be addressed on priority basis.

He said active participation of parents was needed to make this campaign successful. He ordered deputy health officers and union council medical officers to establish a monitoring mechanism and submit daily report as no lethargy in this campaign would be tolerated.

Sharing details of arrangement for anti-polio campaign to be started from Aug 6 to Aug 10, health officials said that under-five children in 34 union councils would be administered anti-polio vaccine by health officials under the supervision of 168 union councils’ medical officers and 405 area in-charges.

Moreover, they said that 1,878 mobile teams and 85 fixed points had been established. They said that the health officers will monitor the progress of campaign and security of polio workers.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2018